When you think of a Japanese garden, you think of a calmness and serenity. More and more people are adding Japanese gardens to their landscaping design. When planned right, they aren’t expensive. And when regularly maintained, they do not take much time either.
The biggest mistake that people make is thinking that the Japanese garden is supposed to be full of exotic plants. This is not true.
If you understand the principles, Japanese gardens can be quite a wonderful choice for your home.
Be Natural
Take into account what nature provides for you. For example, a pond should not be a perfect circle nor should it be square. Rounded edges compliment the feelings of nature and peace.
Space is quite important in Japanese gardening. Leaving some areas empty and open is natural and positions the landscaping effectively.
Size is also important. If you put something large in a small space, it will not work right. It is out of balance with the surroundings. You should compliment the space that you have and you should allow each space and landscaping element to compliment each other.
Enclosures
The enclosure is one of the main design elements in the Japanese garden. Such as fences and gates that allow you to feel secluded. There should be an entrance and an exit to allow for moving in and moving out. This provides a protective barrier from the outside world. This allows for the garden to be fully enjoyed without worry about what is outside the gates.
Elements Of The Garden
You will find many elements used in the Japanese garden. These will range from rocks, water, plants, borrowed scenery and ornaments. Each item has a specific purpose. You can use them in a variety of ways.
- Rock is the foundation of the garden. Once you establish this foundation, the rest of the garden practically builds itself. Tall and short vertical stones, horizontal stones, reclining stones, as well as arched stones are used. Stepping stones offer a path to move across. Rocks have meaning and are quite important. You can place them to express this meaning or you can place them to be aesthetically pleasing.
- Water is necessary. It an be a built in water feature or one that is simulatted, such as raked gravel or sand. The sound of water is calming and soothing. It adds beauty and serenity to the garden. In Japanese culture, it is a symbol of the passage of time.
- Plantings are also important. The way that you place the plants is important to the harmony of the landscape design. Use materials you enjoy such as evergreens, ornamental grasses and various trees.
- Ornaments are those things that will enhance the garden. They shouldn’t be the main focus though. They are merely accents to the garden. These include sculptures, basins, lanterns and many other objects.
- Borrowed scenery consists of element that can be seen from within the garden, but that are not actually located inside the confines of the garden. Different elements can be placed to accent a distant mountain or to reveal a beautiful tree on someone else’s property.
All these things together produce what the Japanese garden should be in its more authentic version. If you are looking to add this beautiful element to your landscaping, make sure to focus on those things that are important — not as just aesthetically appealing, but ideally mind appealing in nature.