Japanese Miniature Gardens
Japanese Miniature Gardens
Japanese Garden Interior Decorating
Design in Japanese gardens. How Zen influences it. Creating a peaceful and tranquil Japanese Garden.
There are a couple of fixed images I have when I think about Japanese gardens. One is a bonsai tree, and the other is the art of Zen. Bonsai has become to me the definitive idea of Japanese gardening with beautiful images in small spaces. And Zen represents a Japanese garden in my mind because every Japanese garden that I have seen has had a Zen theme to it. Even the homes in Japan have a Zen theme to them, but it is in the garden that you really see the spirit of Zen and Zen design.
The first time I learned anything about Japanese gardens was when my mother, who worked in a language school, introduced me to the Japanese language professor. This gentleman spent many years in Japan studying and learning the Japanese language. In addition to learning the language, he learned a great deal about the culture of Japan, most notably for him, the gardens of Japan. He brought the concept of a Japanese garden to his home.
I was able to see a Japanese garden for myself when my mother and I were invited, along with all of the other colleagues from the language school, to his home to celebrate the birthday of this professor’s first grandson. I couldn’t help but notice the garden in the back, and I was immediately struck by the beauty and simplicity of the miniature Japanese garden he had created. I had no idea at the time that I was gazing upon a Japanese garden; I simply enjoyed the clean lines and delicate symmetry of this living work of art. At first, I was afraid to walk around in it, it seemed so delicate and I was afraid to disturb it.
Luckily, our host noticed how awe-struck I was, and he came to me and explained the entire concept behind the design of a tranquil Japanese garden. He explained that certain design structures are inherent in a Japanese garden, and pointed each one out to me, how rocks, water and plants are used. He had beautiful bonsai, as well as a Koi pond that represented bounty and prosperity.
I could not pull myself away from the beauty of this garden, and the master of the house had, in the space of a few hours, converted me from someone who knew nothing about Japanese gardens to someone who was convinced he had to create the beauty, simplicity and symbolism of a Japanese garden for himself. I now have a tranquil Japanese garden of my own, and am thankful to the professor for introducing me to this lovely art form.
About the Author
Andrew Caxton enjoys writing about oriental interiors for http://www.home-decorating-reviews.com . A focused website that offers the best articles on
japanese interior decorating
and oriental interiors.
A miniature Japanese garden?
How do a create a Japanese garden for my backyard? What do I need and roughly how much will it cost to do it? The yard is roughly 20×30 feet.
Here’s a video of 5 Japanese gardens to give some ideas:
Use plants, stone & water (or pebbles to represent water)
Stones can be used to construct the garden’s paths, bridges, and walkways. :
http://www.japanesegarden.com/gardens/
Japanese gardens often contain several of these elements to provide a beautiful & peaceful spot for contemplation:
Water, real or symbolic.
Rocks.
A lantern, typically of stone.
A teahouse or pavilion.
A enclosure device such as a hedge, fence, or wall of traditional character.
A bridge to the island, or stepping stones.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_garden
Watergardens:
http://www.landscape-ontario.com/watergardens.htm
Images of Landscapes using water, stones, rocks & wood structure:
http://www.garden-view.com/design1.htm
http://www.landscaping-solutions.com/Asian_Landscaping.html
More Japanese Gardens:Click on each image to take a tour of each garden:
http://learn.bowdoin.edu/japanesegardens/gardens/intro/index.html
You don’t need to spend a lot of money on your garden because you can make use of natural elements already present. Just rearrange them so they are in harmony with the natural surroundings around them. “Find the main viewpoints from within your house. Wherever the garden is framed by a window or door looking out, you will want to fill the frame with a scene of beauty. A Japanese garden recreates nature’s most beautiful vistas – rocks represent mountains and hills, water represents streams, rivers and the ocean, and the plants can represent forests and the abundance of nature”.
Stone features such as lanterns, water bowls and oriental statuary add a nice touch.
http://www.all-free-samples.com/useful/japanese-garden.php
Make an arbor made of bent twigs:
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_garden_structures/article/0,1785,HGTV_3588_1399803,00.html
Water features for any budget;
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_design_water_features/article/0,1785,HGTV_3575_4739570,00.html
Good Luck! Hope this is helpful.
東方(Touhou) – Miniature Garden War ~ Wars in my Heart – Discord Registers