(Domo Arigato (Welcome) to A Garden of Respect)

 Introduction

The elements of a Japanese garden design include an elegant but subtle placement of plants, trees, and shrubs; water, rocks, and Japanese Garden Decor. Not only will these elements transform your landscape into a beautiful place of meditation but one of symbolic significance.

A Japanese Garden can offer many things. When correctly designed, we learn to appreciate attention to detail. We can create an atmosphere of tranquility through the use of rocks, sunlight and shadows, relationships of plants to each other and one of the most important factors of a true Japanese Garden, the symbolism of different garden components.

To design a Japanese Garden is to design a landscape that will provide a space for outdoor living and entertaining in a serene and peaceful setting.  Usually a very low maintenance garden, of distinctive oriental garden style, it will simulate nature and each element will have both an aesthetic and functional purpose.

History of the Japanese Garden

The history of Japanese gardens dates back to the eleventh century in which distinct and strict rules were established for garden design. Documented writings describe forms of waterfalls, materials to be used, relationships of materials, and placement of the different elements. Also noted are historical references of garden design and arrangement and actual categories or styles that included Artificial Hill Gardens (Tsuki-yama), Level Gardens (Hira-niwa), and Tea Gardens (Cha-seki).

Much of the cultural influence came from the Chinese. Their traditions and Buddhism religion was imported around the sixth century A.D. which had an enormous influence on the Japanese way of life and also included gardening as well. The influence could be seen for more than a thousand years. 

The native religion of Japan, Shintoism, emphasized that all of nature, plants, trees, and rocks were sacred, and many gardens were considered a sacred place of worship that the Gods would visit. These areas would actually receive offerings and symbolized not only a place to worship nature and all of its creatures, but to worship their creator as well. The Japanese garden has evolved over the centuries in that it is much more than just an accumulation of rocks, trees, and other physical elements. It is a symbolism of belief in a spirit of unique gardens representing people and their cultures.         

Garden Styles

When considering different styles of a Japanese garden, there are usually four main types that come to mind. All are symbolic in their own way, yet offer very different Japanese garden designs. They are categorized as Courtyard Gardens, Zen Gardens or dry landscape gardens, Stroll Gardens or public parks that usually include ponds and lakes, and Tea Gardens.

Courtyard Garden

The Courtyard Garden utilizes both indoor and outdoor spaces. It will usually be found in small areas of ones home, and almost always is surrounded by walls or fencing. Considered as a garden for viewing only, this type of garden will utilize the use of plants, small water features, rocks, and gravel. The use of space is essential and the precise arrangement of Japanese elements must give the illusion of spaciousness, a critical feature of an oriental garden.     

 Zen Garden

One of the most popular Japanese gardens is the Zen Garden. It is often referred to as a “Garden of Emptiness” or “Kare Sansui” which means empty landscape. To many observers it can appear to be nothing more than a few well placed rocks among a bedding of gravel. It contains however very intensive symbolism of life itself.

The Zen garden actually evolved from the Buddhism religion founded around 500 B.C. Its beliefs promote a heightened sense of awareness and through meditation a person may disregard the lesser important happenings of life and concentrate on things that really matter, thus supporting the Buddhism life cycle belief of birth, death, and rebirth. It was not until the twelfth century that Zen Buddhism had a great influence on the Japanese culture, and the teachings reflected an uncluttered, simplistic way of life. Thus the Zen dry landscape garden is a direct relationship to the peoples religious beliefs.

The carefully placed and artistic shaped rocks can have very special meanings. Many times set in a perfectly raked bed of gravel, the stone structures may suggest a disciplined life in a sea of tranquility. Other representations may indicate the life cycle, a beginning, middle, and end. Truly symbolic, the Zen gardens are many times located in temple structures and offer a most elegant and tranquil place of worship and meditation.

Stroll Garden

Stroll Gardens can be found in public parks and are used as an appreciation of beautiful scenery and nature. They usually include water, in the form of ponds and lakes, rocks, trees, and plants. Just as the name implies, they are designed with specific pathways. They were originally designed for private use of Chinese emperors but were accepted throughout Japan during the sixth or seventh centuries A.D. Designed as miniature scale mountains, lakes, rivers, and islands, they were created as beautiful landscapes of what actually existed in nature, and were used mainly for entertainment and personal use. Today, a Stroll garden is a true representation of the beauty that a Japanese garden can offer.

Japanese Tea Garden

The Tea Garden also was introduced to Japan from the Chinese culture around the sixth century A.D. Because the Buddhism religion incorporated the use of tea in their ceremonies, did it not become popular until the thirteenth century. It is still unclear, but the generally accepted theory is that the tea ceremony celebrated the Zen beliefs of purity, inner peace, and simplicity through meditation .

A Japanese tea garden consists of two gardens, one that includes a waiting area where the guests will be called into the more formal, intimate, yet rustic structured inner garden. The outer design of the tea garden usually includes stepping stones leading to a cleansing area. Here the guests will perform a symbolic cleansing ritual, freeing themselves of all wrong doings, evil thoughts, and misfortunes of life. The outer garden will provide an atmosphere of preparation, which includes the stepping stones, a lantern, and cleansing area in a very simplistic setting all designed to prepare for the tea ceremony inside.

The inner tea garden is designed very simplistic and in a rustic, hut style structure. The atmosphere will be friendly and intimate. Here is where the tea ceremony is held. All is symbolic of the Buddhism belief of meditation and appreciation of the simplistic life cycle. The Japanese tea garden represents the virtues of Restraint, Politeness, Sensibility, and Modesty.
                                           
Elements of a Japanese Garden

When considering the elements of a Japanese garden, the basic ones are considered first. They include plants, trees, and shrubs; rocks, water, and accessories or decor. In order for a garden to be a success, it’s not enough to just making sure that the elements are randomly included in the design. Your garden will be representing centuries of a peoples culture and it must be designed with not only an oriental influence, but must be symbolic of the people , there heritage, and beliefs.

The actual design must consider the results that are trying to be achieved. Trying to design a courtyard garden in the middle of a huge field would certainly be out of place as would a stroll garden be if constructed in a small confinement.

The basic considerations of sun exposure, wind and its direction, and rain, all need to be part of the design process. Asymmetry is always found in a Japanese garden, but not to the point of being one hundred percent. This is accomplished through the critical placement of stepping stones, plants, trees, fences, etc.

The use of what is called “borrowed space” is an excellent quality that must be designed into the garden. This is the designing of your elements in such a way that the garden not only creates an illusion of spaciousness, but blends into the surrounding landscape as if it grew there naturally. This quality is associated to all Japanese gardens and is not easily achieved. Not only does this type of garden posses physical elements, it must include the qualities of aesthetic design, ambience, soul, and authenticity.

If your garden design is duplicating another design, be sure to copy it down to the most critical detail. Any deviation or short cuts could completely ruin the entire theme. The physical elements that are incorporated into your garden design will require considerations of their own. If you want an instant, full grown and mature garden, you’ll need to have full grown trees planted or water supplies installed, pond or lake beds dug. If large boulder size rocks are going to be used, heavy equipment and even cranes may need to be in the budget which could run into the thousands of dollars. Be sure this is planned and researched well in advance of the first day of construction.

Other considerations may include services that may need to be incorporated. Electricity for lighting or water pumps, correct drainage points, pond filtration systems, and maintenance will all need to be planned. One of the most important and should be one of the first things to consider are local town or city permits that may or may not be required. Be sure to attain a current property map that will show any buried utility lines. It’s critical to know exactly where they are before excavation begins. Also, be sure to have a scaled map of your garden that includes everything that will be done at the time of this and future projects. This alone will save much time and money.

Please read our informational article “Lets Design a Summer Garden” for a list of further considerations in the process of landscape design.

Plants

Which plants are truly significant to an oriental garden? We must consider the symbolism they represent. Seasonal flowers will contribute their floral beauty and remind us of the impermanence of life. Evergreens will represent dignity and elegance compared to the season color changes of life all around and will also remind us of life’s longevity. The changing colors also tell us that life is constantly moving and beauty doesn’t always stand still.

The many plants, shrubs, and trees used in today’s Japanese gardens are not necessarily Japanese grown varieties. Many that originated in Japan are indeed exported and over many years have become well established worldwide. In Japan itself, many varieties of plants and trees from around the world have been used for many years in their gardens.

Do not feel intimidated or limited by your plant selection. There are many varieties that are more commonly used and depending on the hardiness zone that you live in may determine a limitation of which plants will grow best in your area.

I’ve included a hardiness zone map for your convenience.

Just choose the zone that includes your area. This will be used to determine which plants to select that will grow the best. This is particularly important if you plan on purchasing plants and shrubs by mail order.

When choosing plants, don’t be afraid to improvise. As the climate where you live varies, the plant selection will be varied. This is also true in Japan, where the climate changes as well.

Below is a list of many popular plants, trees, and shrubs commonly found in Japanese gardens. We advise to check with a local nursery for those that will do the best in your area. Another note of consideration is to substitute different varieties of a particular plant if it is known not to grow well in your zone.

    Trees              
                                 
●    Japanese Maple
●    Carpinus
●    Magnolia      
●    Silver Birch
●    Flowering Crab
●    Japanese Cherry
●    Japanese Apricot
●    Prunus Mume
●    Weeping Willow
●    Cedar
●    Pinus

Plants
                              
●    Day Lily
●    Japanese Iris
●    Lotus
●    Libertia Grandiflora
●    Bamboo
●    Grasses (Ornamental Varieties)
●    Moss
●    Ophiopogon (Evergreen Pernnial)

Shrubs
                              
●    Azaleas
●    Buxus
●    Camellia
●    Ornamental Quince
●    Mexican Orange
●    Gardenia
●    Hibiscus
●    Forsythia
●    Hydrangea
●    Jasmine
●    Nandina
●    Paeonies
●    Viburnam


    Rocks

Rocks are probably one of the most symbolic elements of a Japanese garden. They were first used in gardens of the Shang dynasty period where they represented artificial hills and islands. They also have ties to religious beliefs and can even be found as shrines that are worshiped and considered sacred.

In choosing rocks, consideration of its intended use is very important. The qualities to look for are its size, shape, color, and texture. In a Zen dry landscape design, rocks represent islands when placed in the bed of carefully raked gravel. They must look like islands actually do where the water (Gravel) meets the rock. It cannot simply be laid on top of the gravel. Since the Japanese garden is a miniature representation, the rocks must be true to scale with the rest of the garden’s design. Rocks should always be different sizes as in real life. Black and gray colored rocks are the preferred choices of color, but subtle variations of other colors are also allowed as this adds to the aesthetic interest of the rock.

The texture of the rocks are very important as the representation is often reproduced in the rock’s surface. The veins of the rock are a good example as they are used to represent streams or water falls. The qualities of timelessness and dignity can be seen in the shape of rocks as exemplified in a sharp, jagged surface.

Here are some further considerations in the arrangement and use of rocks in the Japanese garden:

●    Arrange rocks in groups of two’s, three’s, and five’s for the most interesting effect.
●    A more aesthetically pleasing arrangement will result in an asymmetric rather than symmetric design.
●    Triangular arrangements of rocks are many times symbolic of Heaven, Earth, and Man thus the tallest rock representing Heaven, the middle size representing Earth, and the smallest rock representing Man.

    The Element of Water

Water can be found in all Japanese gardens in one form or another. Even in the dry landscape of the Zen garden, the gravel used is symbolic of water. The sound that your water makes, or doesn’t make, will create the tranquility and calmness that a Japanese garden represents. The calmness of a still pond or the sound of a waterfall adds to the effectiveness and beauty of a place for meditation and worship.

The influence of the Chinese can again be seen with the introduction of water in their garden designs. “San-sui”, a Chinese term for landscape actually translates to “mountain and water”, and this suggests the use of water in a landscape design.

The benefits of a water garden are multiple. The visual aspect of water will give a feeling of elegance through the presence of serenity and tranquility. The ambience that a water garden will create is very critical to a Japanese or oriental garden.

Water gardens using ponds and fountains, can create some very aesthetic and pleasing effects. Considerations must however be planned to provide a holding area, pumps for water circulation, and electrical and water supply lines. Remember to check with your local authorities for code and permit requirements. If you are however fortunate enough to have natural wetlands in the form of a pond or stream, this natural element will provide a perfect back drop to design your Japanese garden around.   

Japanese Garden Decor

Japanese garden decor can be utilized in very effective ways. You do however need to be sure not to “over accessorize”. A subtle suggestion of a Japanese Lantern can make the difference between introducing the elements in a garden and the end creation of a Japanese garden. Many people may disagree with the importance of the use of accessories, but they can help make a Japanese garden complete.  

Much has been written on the use of Japanese Lanterns, bridges, water basins, stepping stones, fences, and more. Our message here is to consider what your Japanese garden is lacking and consider an accessory to finalize your project that will truly make a garden Japanese.  

Summary

To summarize, a Japanese garden is much more that a garden of Japanese elements. It is much more than an accumulation of trees, rocks, water, and plants. It is a “Garden of Respect”; respect for a peoples culture and religious beliefs that extend not only through centuries of the Japanese people, but through centuries of the Chinese people from which so much influence was introduced.

The Japanese garden, with its historical and symbolic influence can create not only a place of tranquility and beauty, but a serene place for meditation and worship.

 With the help of the correct elements, landscape design, research, and possibly some spiritual influence, a beautiful Japanese garden can truly be yours. We hope that our information has been both interesting and helpful. We will be honored if we have only contributed a small part in the completion of your Japanese Garden.

Best of Luck and

Happy Gardening!