Zen Garden Nursery Landscaping Guide

Zen Garden In Your Backyard

By Suzzie T Franklin

Zen garden is a Japanese rock garden and is found in many areas of Japan and around the world where the decor is set in Japanese.

If you want a Japanese theme for your backyard ideas, then you will need to have a Zen garden in a quiet area of your yard. It can be in an enclosed area so it is not disturbed by pets or other animals.

A Zen Garden In Your Backyard

It will be a talking point by people visiting your home, to see something out of the ordinary. A Zen garden is not your average fruit and flower garden you see in so many backyards. It will stand out from anything else in your backyard.

You may need to have some space in front of the garden so that people can view it and marvel at its uniqueness. A stone walkway next to the zen garden, leading to your backdoor, may be ideal.

In Japan, Zen Buddhism informs so much of the Japanese philosophy and lies at the core of all their aesthetic undertakings. The natural world is valued highly and the Japanese rock garden, or Zen Garden as it has come to be known is a large part of that tradition.

Karesansui

Named Karesansui in Japanese, meaning dry landscape, these gardens are very prominent in Japan and much copied elsewhere. They are often to be found at temples where they are tended by monks, as in the ancient city of Kyoto. Ordinary households often have them too.

Nothing is accidental in Japanese design and everything has a meaning. A Zen Garden may appear to have random elements to the casual observer but every aspect will have been deliberately placed.

The garden follows a standard form, being enclosed and containing gravel or sand and rocks. Other materials are used occasionally.

The rocks are of various shapes and sizes and are sometimes within circles of moss and often placed on a mound of pebbles. The person who looks after the Zen Garden is fastidious in raking the white gravel or sand every day.

It is these elements that are significant and there may be no greenery present at all, in contrast to Western style gardens. Different interpretations exist as to the symbolism within the garden.

Oceans And Ripples In The Water

Most experts agree that the sand or gravel represents the ocean, the raking of patterns being done to signify ripples on the water. The rocks are normally seen, either as specific Japanese islands or Chinese mountains.

Some people see animal forms in the rocks. The symbolism is the subject of debate but the purpose of such gardens is clear. They are designed to instill a feeling of calm in the viewer, offering an opportunity to escape the rigors of the outside world.

Some people sit for hours, contemplating the garden in a form of deep meditation. The simplicity of the designs evokes an atmosphere of peace and well-being.

Small Miniature Framed Gardens

Even a city apartment dweller can own a patch of Zen Garden if so desired. There are small, miniature framed gardens, of around eight inches square with sand and pebbles. A little wooden rake is also provided to maintain the sand.

In a land of crowded cities such as Japan, a garden of any size is a haven to treasure. The simple but meaningful gardens are intriguing and never lose their ability to capture the imagination, no matter what culture the viewer is from.

Zen Gardens Around The World

You can see examples of zen gardens all around the world, especially in hotels and accommodation houses, when the decor is set in Japanese style. Sometimes you may be in a bathtub or a spa and there is a window in front of you and there it is, a zen garden.

You can see the enclosed garden, with the sand, pebbles, shrubs, a statue of Buddha and a small shrine. You can look at it for hours, while you are in the bath. Away from the noise of social pressures.

A Zen garden adds a little difference to the look of a regular garden.

About the Author:
Suzzie T Franklin has written a number of articles on gardening and landscaping including The Japanese Garden, Bonsai Trees, Bonsai Plants, Outdoor Bonsai Trees, Indoor Bonsai Trees, White Flowers, Fruit Trees, Tole Painting, Lady Slipper Flower, Plastic Flower Pot, Cherry Blossom, Wire Topiary Frames, Bamboo Plants, Window Bird Feeders, Planting Guide, Flower Seeds, Gardening Vegetable, Garden Furniture.
Keep a lookout for more of her articles on this website.

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