The element of stone in a garden has two important qualities: function and beauty. It also conveys a sense of permanence and place. Since ancient times, stone has been revered for bringing a special "feel" to a garden. In The Spirit of Stone, award-winning designer Jan Johnsen presents a richly photographed, authoritative guide to creative

"If you are planning a project this season, The Spirit of Stone is worth reading before you get started. It will change your perspective on the role of rocks and gravel in your garden." - Christy Wilhelmi "Stone is beautiful, useful, and artful. So writes the author, Jan Johnsen, who then proceeds to illustrate this premise with outstanding photographs. There are so many ways to use stone in our landscapes and Jan offers inspiration as well as technical advice for installations of different types." -Bobbie Schwartz "[Johnsen] has clearly taken her experiences with varied types of stone and turned them into ideas for utilitarian, decorative and accent elements in the garden. Her book comes with instructions for making dry stream beds, stone steps, walkways and rock gardens." -Pat Leuchtman "Johnsen has written a detailed book that is enjoyable to read. Topics range from cactus rock gardens to gravel paths to karensansui—a Japanese “dry landscape.” Inspirational photographs and installation instruction dominate the text, culminating in a plant pallet at the end. Those who are curious about using more stones in their landscape—including those curious about rock gardening as a style—will very much enjoy The Spirit of Stone." -Esther Jackson "As a horticulturist, I must have seen a thousand gardens and not one stone. Fortunately, after reading The Spirit of Stone, I now have “rock awareness” as Jan calls it and I can now see – I even went back to photos I took — that the stones were there all along." -Peggy Riccio "This book is filled with ideas for adding small to large stones to gardens to enhance their beauty." -Joanne Kempinger Demski "If you are looking for inspiration for your own landscape, along with the background on the many ways to add stone, The Spirit of Stone is a great place to start." -Susan Mulvhill

"Celebrated garden author and landscape designer Jan Johnsen has distilled her sophisticated natural stone expertise into a clearly written, companionable guide to stone gardening success. I predict The Spirit of Stone will be treasured by beginners and garden experts alike." -Miriam Goldberger, author of Taming Wildflowers "In the same loving and passionate spirit with which she brought garden and design lovers Heaven is a Garden, Jan Johnsen now brings us The Spirit of Stone. This book provides insights and photos of every possible way to use stone in your garden: as accents, as art, as walls, as drainage, as steps, with plants or for paths.” -Jim Peterson, Publisher, Garden Design "Jan Johnsen leaves no stone unturned in introducing readers to the wonderful world of masonry. Her marriage of hardscape and horticulture assures The Spirit of Stone rock-star status on your gardening bookshelf." -David Beaulieu, Landscaping expert, About.com "The Spirit of Stone is an insightful look into the many ways of using natural stone in a garden. Jan's crisp descriptions and wonderful photographs open our eyes to the unique addition of this material – in all its forms – into landscapes." -Bill Thomas, Executive Director, Chanticleer Garden, author of The Art of Gardening "The Spirit of Stone is an elegant paean to the use of stone in the garden. Jan Johnsen explores the rich traditions in using stone by artists and craftsmen through the age, and provides helpful suggestions for today’s garden enthusiasts." -Robert E. Grese, Director, Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum; Professor, University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and Environment "Johnsen's intimate relationship with stone, honed over a long design career, shines through every page of this practical guide to using stone in residential gardens. Perhaps more importantly, she explains why this most elemental of materials creates a timeless sensuality that no other garden material can." -Carolyn Mullet, designer; Garden Design by Carolyn Mullet "In The Spirit of Stone, Jan presents a richly photographed guide to the many creative ways that durable stone and gravel can be used in a garden." -Stephanie Rose "If you weren’t already sold on incorporating stone into your garden, this book’s inspiring images and eloquent descriptions will convince you." -Pam Penick "The Spirit of Stone focuses in on the soulfulness, authenticity, beauty and practicality of stonework in an outdoor setting. . . .a delightful celebration of the versatility of this solid, durable natural element." -Fran Sorin, author of Digging Deep: Unearthing Your Creative Roots Through Gardening "Jan's great love for the art of gardening and enthusiasm for great stone work is apparent on every page. The Spirit of Stone is a great resource for inspiration in the garden." -Devin Devine, stone artist, mason: Devine Escapes "Jan Johnsen successfully conveys the poetic qualities of stone through insightful observations, descriptive examples and, more importantly, with practical advice for novice and professional garden designers." -Richard Alomar, RLA, ASLA, Department of Landscape Architecture, Rutgers University

MARKETING & PUBLICITY HIGHLIGHTS: Review copies to national print media and radio (targeted) Review copies to leading gardening and landscape design bloggers. Author will work with popular online sites to review the book, feature an excerpt or write an article. Author will speak at regional home and garden shows, stone conferences, bookstores, garden clubs. She will present at conferences for the Building Stone Institute, the Association of Professional Landscape Designers, the Stonework Symposium, the Rock Garden Society, and others. Author will seek sponsorship from related trade associations.

[from the Introduction] Stone is often an overlooked player in a landscape. While we may swoon over the many shapes and colors of plants within a garden, the stone walks and walls stand silently by, perhaps unnoticed. This book shines a light on the beauty and enchantment that natural stone adds to an outdoor setting. It is a celebration of the versatility of solid, durable rock and showcases the many ways stones and stonework can be featured in the landscape. If you have ever thought about adding this resilient natural element into your garden, then this idea book is for you. In these pages I offer illustrated design tips and practical techniques for using stone in rock gardens, walks, walls, steps – as artful accents, and much more. You will discover how many possibilities are open to you; rocks can be a still, small voice or a dramatic booming song, depending on how you use them. Bringing natural stone and stonework into your garden can elevate it and anchor it, all at the same time. I have a soft spot for hard rock. During my four-decade career as a professional landscape designer, I have incorporated stone in a variety of outdoor settings. It is, in my opinion, an indispensable part of a garden. My love of stone was fostered by my time living in Kyoto, Japan, as a college student years ago. I interned in a landscape architecture office and on weekends I would visit the historic Japanese gardens. I saw how natural stone and stonework were of central significance in their landscapes. I subsequently studied landscape architecture in Hawaii, where I experienced the fiery beginnings of rock by watching molten lava, up close, flowing. As a young adult, my relationship with stone deepened when I became a rock climber. During ascents on New York's Schwangunk Mountains, I would examine the vertical cliffs up close and see the cracks, fissures and protrusions of the rock as a challenge and an opportunity. I learned to place my fingers inside the crevices in the stone as a climber does, which sometimes meant strong handholds and other times a delicate fingertip grip. I later lived near Barre, Vermont, home of world famous granite quarries, and I would stand in awe as I watched giant granite slabs being hewn from the earth. Ultimately, I settled in Westchester County, New York, where rough fieldstone walls, quartz-laden boulders and classic bluestone walks and patios are found in abundance. From these diverse experiences, I have learned to cherish stone’s quiet beauty and its steadying qualities.