Japanese Garden Ideas
A Few Simple Japanese Garden Ideas
Are you searching for simple Japanese garden ideas? Japanese gardens are beautiful and tranquil, but you don’t have to admire them from afar. In fact, using a few simple rules you can even create your own version in your own backyard.
To begin with, it’s important to understand that a lot of thought goes into placement, symbolism, and balance when it comes to Japanese gardens. Plants and structures are not placed sporadically. In fact, everything has a meaning as far as where it is placed and what its particular function is.
You might have already noticed that a lot of Oriental garden designs flow naturally and are not based so much on symmetry. This is because as opposed to Western gardens, Oriental gardens try to replicate nature and do not put so much emphasis on evenness.
When trying to come up with simple Japanese garden ideas, keep in mind that you don’t need a lot of color or variety. Most Japanese gardens do not contain a multitude of plants or an abundance of color. Instead, they try to focus more on tranquility.
You also shouldn’t worry about not having enough space for your garden, either. In fact, most Japanese gardens are grown in small areas and plants and landscape designs actually work together to make the areas appear larger.
Some simple Japanese garden ideas on how to make a small space appear larger include using structures that are scaled down in size, planting smaller trees in the distance, using large rocks in the foreground, and planting larger plants up front if using islands in your landscaping project.
Putting smaller items in the back might go against your natural instincts, but imagine a piece of paper in front of you. If you were drawing a highway on that piece of paper going off into the distance, then the easiest way to show perspective would be to essentially draw a large “V”, with the smallest point in the background and the largest width up front. The same is true of the garden. With the smaller plants and trees in the back, it gives the illusion of distance.
Using trees and trees in the foreground that are brightly colored, while planting the more subdued plants in the back, can also give the illusion of distance. The same can be accomplished with planting tine-textured foliage in the back and plants with large leaves in the front.
Since Japanese gardens try to offer the visitor peace and tranquility, then it’s a good idea to have hidden places to sit and wander. Providing paths, benches, and pagodas can be a good way of encouraging the visitor to wander around. Some other simple Japanese garden ideas are to include small ponds, small bridges, and small rock gardens. Details are very important.
In fact, you should consider paying attention to many of your details as far as your Japanese garden ideas are concerned. When building a rock garden, for instance, choose your rocks carefully and arrange them by size. In many rock formations, there is often a large rock that acts as a “sentinel” and symbolizes Buddha, while the other smaller rocks around it represent his children, or his people.
If you would like to add a pond to your garden, then consider placing small details in it that make it more interesting. Plant a cherry tree, for instance, over the pond so that the blossoms are able to fall into the water and the reflection of the tree is caught on the surface. You might also want to place some large rocks in the water as well, to offer texture. Fish are optional.