What Distinguishes the Japanese Gardens from the Rest of the World
The simplicity of the natural landscape and its calming effect in the garden act as a magnet for city dwellers; the landscape conveys such magnificence and glory that it has become a trademark of the owners of modern gardens. Harmony reigns there.
Its style originated in Japan in the beginning of the past millennium.In the mind of Japanese people, nature equals spirituality but not as a frozen picture – rather, as a constantly evolving panorama of colors, sounds and pictures.
Stones in a Japanese Garden
The necessary components of Japanese gardens are natural stones and water; those are needed to resemble the landscape of the owners’ native countryside, characterized by mountains and rocks and rivers and streams in between.
It is remarkable that you can see a Japanese garden without plants, but never without stones.
Japanese Gardens are a Place for Solitude and Relaxation
For Japanese people, gardens are usually a place for solitude and comfort, so every detail there carries a certain internal meaning. The Japanese themselves count stones among the finest creations of nature, believing stones can convey all the information about the surrounding world.
Japanese parks are created for calm meditative contemplation of the beauty of nature in all its shapes and forms.
Basic Materials to Create a Japanese Garden
The main materials for the creation of a composition in the style of Japanese parks are stones, not-too-many plants and light sand and gravel.
Stones are the main components – the large and unshaped ones give the garden an exotic and intriguing appearance. Stone floorings are also used for paths that can later lead to either the grass or the water.
Green plants are an essential detail of the Japanese gardens and the change of colors of autumn leaves to red is considered the most significant event of the year. That is why the vegetation in a Japanese park can be very diverse but the green color should always prevail.
How to create a Japanese garden
This is not an easy task and requires vivid imagination. The whole project and the location of each composition should be considered in advance. It is best to outline beforehand the planned figures, paths, rock gardens and places for relaxation.
Then it is necessary to prepare the location for the placement of the stones. The surface of the outlined already place should be excavated in advance to a depth of 20-30 cm. Please, try to follow the outline, without crossing the predefined borders of the composition. The stones you are going to be using should be medium in size. Please, wash the stones well before you lay them on the ground. When you arrange them, please, make sure the ones that are close in form are laid together, so that the joints that inevitably form between them are minimal. Your work is completed when the entire stone array looks like a single unit.
