Small Japanese Garden Design Ideas – Now I’m not Japanese, and I haven’t formally studied this subject, I suspect one would have to go to Japan to do that. However, I have studied the basics and have already created a garden on a small scale, so I thought I would share my learnings. While working with the recent design concept, I realized how simple the principles are and what a pleasant effect they create.
Japanese gardens are peaceful and simple places of calm, providing a peaceful retreat for reflection and meditation. Usually consists of mostly evergreen plants, stones, pebbles, sand, ponds and waterfalls. Given the move towards simplicity, minimalism, sustainability and mental health that many of us want from our outdoor spaces, it’s an aesthetic that can often fit the bill in harmony.
Small Japanese Garden Design Ideas
Three of the essential elements used to create a Japanese garden are stone, which forms the structure of the landscape; water, representing life force; and the plants, which give color and changes in the seasons.
Japanese Water Features
Adding a water feature to your garden is worth considering as it adds an extra dimension to the garden; it provides a focal point, a soothing sound, which gives a sense of peace and tranquility, and hopefully also improves biodiversity.
Japanese gardens are designed to replicate landscapes in miniature, often with planted hills representing islands and the surrounding gravel/stones raked into grooves to represent waves or ripples in the water. Gravel and pebbles can also be used to create dry rivers.
The space between the features is as important as the features themselves and there should be a balance between these, with the white space proportionally larger than the features/islands.
Japanese gardens are simply laid out using a grid plan, with the main intersections (‘strong points’) and consideration of sight lines as the places to locate the features; such as a stand of bamboo, a small tree or a group of stone features.
The Best Rocks For Japanese Gardens To Help Create A Tranquil Space
Roads and bridges are often “broken” by changing direction, slightly changing the alignment of materials or using two or more different materials.
Traditional Japanese gardens use small trees, carefully tended perennials and mosses with less focus on shrubs. Commonly used Japanese garden plants include peony, chrysanthemum, and Japanese water iris. Flowering shrubs include azalea, camellia, Pieris japonica and Leucothoe which provide strong seasonal interest. While I find Cornus kouza, Prunus serrula, Magnolia stellata and Acers to be good options for small trees. With the multi-stemmed trees and the crown grew large bushes that looked more authentic.
1 – The aspect and the climate; Japan is a relatively cool and humid country, so this aesthetic might work best on the more northerly west coast of the UK. If your garden is in the dry South East of England, as my project is that I use the most traditional planting in shady areas; such as Epimedium, ferns and grasses such as Hakonechloa and Ophiopogon.
I expanded the palette in areas with partial sun, with plants that complement the aesthetic while conditions such as; Anemones, Oak leaf hydrangea, Enkianthus, Skimmia, Deschampsia, Chaemaecyparis obtusa, Nandina, Liriope and Fritillaria meleagris and so on.
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If you have a sunny garden and dry climate, you may want to consider a different aesthetic.
2 – Season interest; are an important part of Japanese gardens, especially in marking and celebrating the seasons; therefore, it is not surprising that trees such as cherry blossoms and Acers, which bring spring and autumn interest so prominently, are often key elements.
I also have a point to celebrate winter with; Magnolia (M.stellata is a good choice), Hellebores and snowdrops, while the last two are not traditional Japanese plants that work with the reason.
3 – Bamboo, in my opinion it is not a Japanese garden without bamboo, but you have to be very careful when planting bamboo, as some varieties can be very invasive. I would recommend always growing a variety of clump form, but they can also grow large because you need the space. In the recent project, I thought that the bamboo is limited in a large plantation specially made. In my garden I plant them in massive pots, although they can be expensive.
Elements Of A Meditation Garden
Alternatively, in small areas, you can consider ground cover varieties such as Pleioblastus Fortunei ‘Variegata’ or even Nandina which have a similar appearance.
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Any cookie that may not be particularly necessary for the operation of the website and is specifically used to collect the user’s personal data via analytics, advertisements, other embedded content are called non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to obtain the user’s consent before running these cookies on your website. Escape the chaos and create your sanctuary! 13 easy and affordable Zen garden ideas to transform your backyard into a haven of peace. Read on to learn how to create a peaceful and relaxing space in your garden for body and mind.
Backyard living spaces should be a relaxing space to get away from everyday life. When we lived in our old house, we made our garden as much of an oasis as we could with the property and space we had.
Since moving in, this house has it all, and one of my favorite outdoor living spaces is the backyard Zen garden. I never thought I needed a backyard zen garden, but now that we have one?
Do you also want to enjoy a backyard full of peace and calm? Learn how to create a Zen garden with these simple tips.
How To Make Your Own Japanese Zen Garden
In the traditional sense, my backyard zen garden is not a true zen garden, but it is zen enough for me that I put up with it. And I wish I could take credit for designing it, but it was there when we moved.
Traditionally, zen gardens (also known as Japanese rock gardens or dry landscape gardens) are typically small, enclosed spaces made with rocks or raked sand, gravel, stone, pebbles and manicured shrubs.
It is a garden designed to aid in contemplation and relaxation and is composed primarily of hardscaping without a water feature. Traditional Zen gardens have seven main characteristics:
Traditional zen garden design principles aim to evoke a sense of harmony, balance and awareness. To me, a Zen garden should have these elements in one form or another, but also have things that bring you peace and calm.
Small Japanese Garden
My Zen garden garden has a beautiful stone wall with steps leading to a grassy area with a koi tree sculpture, benches and specimens of shrubs and trees. Two staddle stones flank the stone wall and some other garden sculptures as well.
The Zen garden has many types of landscape rocks designed in an aesthetically pleasing way. And I’m sure there are elements of feng shui, as this house was designed with that in mind.
We have a small koi pond in our zen garden which makes the space so much better. It’s so relaxing to hear the waterfall and I love sitting out there on the back porch, especially in the spring when everything is just starting to bloom.
When we moved in our pond was empty so we bought some smaller koi fish for fun and it was a real thrill. They are very personable, love to eat, and we have named them after each member of our family.
Japanese Garden Landscape Designers In South Central Pa
Because I am a fan of plants and flowers, I added containers full of flowers and plants. In the long run there will be a lot more, but for the last growing season I just used what I had and potted it up.
Being into all things plants and flowers, I had never looked into creating a Japanese Zen garden space before. Mainly because we didn’t have the extra space for it, but also because it wasn’t my organic aesthetic.
Now that we have one here, it’s interesting to see how much I love having this kind of garden space. I spend a lot of time in the Zen garden when I need to take a mental break from the tasks of the day. That’s where Chris and I meet after a long day. And it’s typically our last stop after taking a wine tour of our property.
If you have some space to play with, I highly recommend adding a backyard zen garden to your outdoor living space.
How To Create A Zen Garden
But even if you don’t have space, you can still create a mini-zen garden with a planter with a few stones.
Many Japanese Zen gardens are also surrounded by walls. If you don’t have one