Modern Japanese Garden Design

Landscape gardeners and gardening enthusiasts seem to love the idea of Japanese design these days. Perhaps, it's the calming beauty of the style that makes it popular in homes, offices, and commercial establishments. The natural, minimalist scenery it provides is something that you want to return to all the time.

To be able to recreate the authentic gardens of Japan right in your own property, you need to have their essential landscaping elements. Below are some of them to help you get started.

Sand and stones are always present in this type of garden. Many Japanese, particularly in the ancient times, give high regard to large stones. Gravel was and still is used for sacred grounds in shrines all over the country. The more modern interpretation would have the large stones represent the mountains and hills. They're also used as materials for the bridges and paths that are basics in this landscape, too. Gravel serves as edges and accents for water elements like ponds and streams.

A landscaper would usually plan a pond or even waterfalls in a Japanese garden. A small body of water is a core element in landscapes like this, because it would symbolize the lakes that are a big part of Japanese history, myths, and arts. Having a number of carps in the pond is said to bring good fortune to the owner of the property. Aside from this, they also add vibrant colors and motion to your garden.

If ponds, streams, or waterfalls aren't too convenient for you, you can have a dry garden with raked sand and upright stones to replace the bodies of water. The only problem is you can't have koi in them.

Bamboo and bonsai plants are staples in this particular kind of Oriental garden. If you want to have big, natural shades, go for cherry, maple, and plum trees. But if your location isn't good for growing those types of trees, you can try pine trees. Landscape gardeners play a significant role here because of the painstaking manner that the Japanese take care of their gardens. All the grasses, shrubs, and trees should always be perfectly manicured.

Aside from these, there are still other elements a Japanese garden has to have, such as bridges, lanterns, and hills. This type of landscape may be known for its elegance, clean lines, and minimalism, but it is a complicated design to build and maintain.

The Japanese have always been known as the masters of nature. They even have a religion that believes that everything in the world has a soul. The ancient Japanese religion of Shinto believes everything in the world contains a Kami which is the living essence of everything that has lived and will ever live in the world.

How's that for being connected with Nature. The japans are so connected that they are in every being, every tree, every rock and all that your eyes can see. This connection can be seen in their art. It can be seen in the way they co-exist with their environment and it is most evident in their garden design.

Japanese Gardens are one of the most serene gardens you can find. There is a silent strength that you can gather from its simplicity and elegance. It is the perfect utilization of nature in a confined utilitarian environment.

The Japanese garden is a great representation of nature because it makes use of the same elements you will find in the woods, beach and see. The natural elements like trees, rock and sands are all normally seen in the gardens of these types.

Some of the common elements you can find in the Japanese gardens are grasses and rocks. Rocks are great because they provide a strong foundation to build your garden on. It has a strength that you cannot normally find in strong hedges. Stonework also gives additional textures that you normally don't find in other gardens.

Some of the things you can find in Japanese gardens are stone sculptures. Small sculptures representing temples are also commonly seen in Japanese gardens. Pebbles are also used to create Japanese rock gardens.