I visit gardens to see the plants, to get ideas for my own garden, to learn about techniques--all right, and sometimes I lust after what they have that I don't have. But sometimes the thing I remember most has little to do with plants. At Hakone Gardens in Saratoga, California (February, 2009) I was struck by two buildings nestled in the garden. Both were built without nails, an ancient Japanese tradition. Although wooden pegs were used, the structures depend on joinery design for their quiet strength. I picture the job site with no bulldozers, no cranes, no air hammers or pneumatic guns. No doubt I romanticize, but I do not hear anything. The upper building, especially, has a sacred presence. It invites visitors to sit and watch the moon make its way across the sky in silence.

Hakone was quiet the day we were there. We never met anyone on the paths, though we could see other visitors as we edged our way up the mountainside. We crossed bridges, passed through the bamboo forest, feasted our eyes on the showy camelias, soaked up the simplicity of stone sculptures like sponges, and calmed ourselves by the waterfalls. As we walked, I thought about the process of putting together a building without the use of nails. Since coming home, I have thought about it even more--and not with an eye to acquisition. Though I often try to duplicate things I see in other gardens, I honor Hakone not by copying it, but by learning from its peacefulness. Its plantings use the same thoughtful design pegs as its traditional buildings, offering up not a nailed together look, but a coordinated whole. Peace. Where peace is fostered, peace grows--a great idea to bring home from any garden. A new seed to plant.