Japanese Garden Design Ideas For Small Gardens – We could all use a little more Zen, especially here in Southern California where we often experience a wild pace of life. It’s no wonder that Japanese-style Zen gardens are becoming increasingly popular. We all want peace and simplicity, and more and more of us are finding it in our backyards.
Join us as we explore a 500-year-old tradition and reveal how to create your own Japanese Zen garden.
Japanese Garden Design Ideas For Small Gardens
Zen gardens are a landscape aesthetic associated with the Buddhist way of life. Often associated with peace and serenity, this type of design is often seen in temples and royal estates. Monks would cultivate gardens as a form of meditation or contemplation, while the rich and royal would display their wealth and status by flourishing their temple.
What Is A Japanese Garden?
An often cited and basic example of a Zen garden is the Ryoan-ji Temple in Japan. This imperial burial site in Northwest Kyoto is famous for its mysterious stone garden. Within a shallow rectangular area, five groups of stones appear to be randomly placed in a sea of white stones. More than a million visitors a year sit and gaze at this stark landscape.
However, rock gardens are only one aspect of Zen design. The concepts of tranquility and peace of mind have remained constant, but the manifestations of these ideas have evolved over time, being reflected in various forms in the Japanese landscape over the centuries. For example, wealthier people began to take tea outside to follow the journey to a spiritual pilgrimage site. Outside of a traditional tea house, it was customary to wash hands and mouth before entering. As a result, incorporating moving water became a staple of this type of garden design.
Integrating these aspects of Zen garden design is a key idea. Understand this concept and you will be on your way to understanding the principles behind Japanese landscaping.
That’s it! A simple definition of a Zen garden reflects the simplicity found within one. The goal when creating a garden is to replicate nature in many ways. For example, crushed rock represents the sea, raised ridges are waves, rocks become mountains or islands, and small plateaus stand for their taller brethren: trees.
Small Japanese Garden
While this sounds almost deceptively simple, master garden designer Kohei Owatari points out that everything inside a Zen garden should be very well designed indeed. It is not enough to simply copy nature in miniature. The existing environment should be taken into account and each element should be carefully selected.
We interviewed Kohei to learn more about his process of designing Zen Garden masterpieces and to benefit from the knowledge gathered from his years of experience.
There is perhaps no other master Zen Garden designer in Southern California of the generation of Kohei Owatari. Formerly a gardener to the Japanese Royal Family, Kohei was involved in the maintenance and modification of the garden. He recalls one particular project where a quarter-mile driveway was paved with a stone border made of Mexican beach rocks. This project shows exceptional attention to detail: each stone was individually selected and polished by hand.
We are fortunate that Kohei’s work is now very close to home. He established his own business, Modern Zen Garden, in the center of the Valley and quickly became recognized as a designer for traditional Japanese landscaping and Zen gardens. One of his projects was recently awarded the 2017 Garden of the Year Award by San Diego Home & Garden Magazine.
75 Asian Hillside Landscaping Ideas You’ll Love
While there are a number of other features that set Kohei’s work apart from the rest, his main draw is how he marries ancient and contemporary design. It takes timeless elements and adds a modern twist, adapting tradition to the Southern California climate.
“In Southern California, replace the traditional fountain with something adapted for arid climates.” – Kohei Owatari
For example, Kohei uses his Southern California-friendly plant selections throughout his Zen Garden installations (Read on for a detailed list of his favorites). Traditionally, Japanese gardens feature bamboo fountains that fill and empty as the water flows and gravity does its work. However, in California, using bamboo in this way is dangerous. Considering our dry climate, Kohei finds that harvested bamboo does not last long in dry weather.
Instead, it replaces this traditional material with natural stone, carvings and unique hand-crafted water features, or copper pipes. Using stone fountains and tailoring his plant choices ensures that the garden will stand the test of time in SoCal, even in the driest years.
The Prettiest Fall Garden Ideas
Don’t make the mistake of using a mouse as a ground brush! Although often associated with Japanese Gardens, it does not do well as a soil supplement in drier areas such as San Diego, Orange County and Los Angeles. Moss is best for wet and rainy environments.
Of course, Kohei Owatari is a master of his art and his unique and inspiring style cannot be copied. However, he was kind enough to share with us some of the guiding principles that have contributed to his success and aesthetic sense. Here are his insider tips for achieving a beautifully designed garden that stands out.
Find a way to allow water to flow into your garden. This will bring life to your space and go a long way towards creating the comfortable space you’ve been dreaming of.
Use other gardens for inspiration, but ultimately let your mind create your own version of Zen Garden bliss.
Zen Garden Ideas: 11 Ways To Create A Calming, Japanese-inspired Landscape
Your garden is unique. The area around your home or business is unique. Let your natural surroundings inspire and guide you as you create.
Use odd angles and explore the unexpected. One of Kohei’s projects was the stone that was broken. Instead of throwing it away, he added a layer of moss and created a new, attractive focal point for the garden. He also experimented with mixing impossible materials and unexpected stone forms.
After all, your garden is about you. Combine the Japanese Zen theme with your wishes for a backyard space. For example, the Garden of the Year project includes a large entertainment area, a leaf-shaped patio with a fire pit, a barbeque area, a bistro, and stepping stones and paths for ease of use.
Apply thoughtful decisions to every aspect of your garden design. Attention to detail always shines – your effort will pay off.
36 Japanese Front Yard Design Ideas That Inspire
With Kohei’s advice in mind, here are seven steps to follow when creating a Zen garden in your backyard. We’ve also added our tips on where to spend and where to save if you’re on a budget.
This is the centerpiece of your design, so if you’re going to invest in a space, make it your water feature! Heed Kohei’s advice and choose something that will survive the harsh Southern California climate. The handcrafted natural stone fountains are some of the most talked about features of the Kohei garden. If you have a very large area of landscaping, you can also consider ponds and/or ponds.
Draw your plans for the garden. Now that you have selected a water feature, you can plan other elements around it. Be sure to mark the paths to connect all of your elements and use spray paint to mark where your stones will be.
Remove any debris or unwanted landscaping. Because your garden is going to be a work of art, you have to start with a blank slate!
15 Most Beautiful Front Yard Garden Ideas For Your Home
You may want to choose at least one center stone that you really like and may be worth spending a little more on. Other stones can be smaller and budget friendly if desired. Think of them as islands in your garden ocean, using high and low profile stones in groups of 3 or 5. Placing the stones is the first step in your project. Make sure you are sure where you want them to be – it’s very difficult to change them later! Check out this blog post for more information on stone placement.
Use crushed stone (commonly known as stone) to cover walkways and any larger areas. If desired, add stepping stones on top. Adjust the paver in areas you don’t walk on. This is your chance to create a ripple effect that evokes the feeling of the ocean.
. It is a Japanese tradition to include stone borders, next to houses or along roads. You only need small amounts of the finishing material, so spend a little more here on a smooth stone or a rounded pebble like Mexican Beach Pebble.
Including decorative rocks in your garden means you’ll need fewer plants to fill the area (and you’ll save on future maintenance!). Choose a few options to invest in and follow Kohei’s recommendations above to help your plants thrive in dry climates.
10 Zen Garden Ideas For Tranquillity
You may have noticed that Japanese Zen gardens have a large number of natural stone products. To help those of you who are new to the world of landscape rock, we asked Kohei to act as our personal guide to his favorite rock picks. Here are specific examples of his favorite products, plus what he looks for when he visits a stone sanctuary like Southwest Boulder & Stone.
Kohei chooses stones with muted colors such as beige, gray