The Japanese Garden
The growing fascination with
Oriental culture has led many garden aficionados to consider
creating a Japanese garden. These are just some of the key features
to help you in selecting the right accessories, and how they create
a look and ambience that is very different from the Western formal
garden.
Both formal Western and Japanese gardens will use water features,
like a pond. However, the Zen aesthetic and the belief that one must
embrace “things as they are” dictates that the water must be pure,
and natural. Fountains are forbidden, and the ponds shapes must not
look contrived.
Streams or waterfalls are preferred, but they must
have an “organic” look: never place them in the center, and
incorporate a few asymmetrical details and imperfections. Many
Japanese ponds will have small islands in the center, or a miniature
waterfall. These act as a focal point. Many times the ponds are
edged with rough rocks or pebbles, rather than polished stone or
tile.
Western gardens also tend to be very structured and symmetrical. The
Japanese interpret this as a manipulation of Nature. They would
rather preserve Nature, in its spontaneity and irregularity. For
them, pure symmetry is too logical, a garden should be spiritual,
which means openness to Life and its uniqueness. That is why
Japanese gardens tend to look a little “wild”.
This doesn’t mean
that they’re unkempt, but that the design establishes a pattern and
then occasionally “breaks” it so it looks less contrived. The
designs also tend to use a lot of curves, rather than lines (like a
winding path) and will use elements that have a natural, rough
finish. For example, the wooden bridge will make use of planks of
different sizes, and will leave in imperfections like crooked edges
or knobs.
Western gardens also tend to use sculptures (from Greek goddess to
the ever-famous gnomes). The garden features are then organized in
such a way to direct the eye to that sculpture. One example is hedge
mazes or carefully landscaped bushes encircling a stone statue. For
Japanese, this is another sign that human beings are restructuring
reality rather than embracing its quirks. Even the sculpture is seen
as a human interpretation of art rather than seeing Nature as art.
That’s why instead of sculptures, Japanese gardens will just
artistically arrange elements of nature, such as a pile of rocks in
different colors and sizes. Even if the gardener “fixes” the
arrangement, the whole point of the exercise is to make it look as
natural and effortless as possible, as if you had discovered a hidden
garden paradise, rather than made one yourself.
There may be water
basins, stone lanterns, stone towers and wells, but these are never
focal points. They are tucked in a corner, sometimes behind a veil
of leaves, or are kept small. The colors are kept natural and
subtle: grays, browns, and other neutrals. Marble and other
“finished” textures, or brightly colored furniture, are frowned
upon. Instead, use wood, stone or bamboo. If you need to incorporate
lights or sprinkler systems for practical purposes, keep them
unobtrusive.
by Philip Nicosia
Philip Nicosia is the webmaster of
www.Resources.eu.com an
online resource centre covering many topics including home and
gardens
Get Your Free Hydroponic Secrets
Report Now!
"Hydroponics - The Future
Unleashed!"
Today !
Click Here
