Japanese style in landscape design: how to make a Japanese garden
The Japanese style in landscape design is a striking example of the ethnic trend in the design of garden and backyard plots. The Japanese are very practical. Redundancy of decor or objects is unacceptable to them. So they enjoy nature, as they have always considered it sacred and even alive. Unlike European gardens, created for relaxation, Asian ones, as it were, invite their visitors to think about their spiritual goals, to achieve inner harmony.
Unusual Japanese gardens are increasingly appearing in European cities, in the territories of country houses and ordinary dachas. They require very careful planning. Visitors to the Japanese garden improve their state of mind and even health. They are less worried about anxiety, not threatened by stress. Once in such a peaceful place, people gain strength, look more energetic, and feel completely refreshed.
Features of the Japanese landscape
At first glance, creating a Japanese-style garden with your own hands is not so difficult. But the most difficult thing is to follow the laws of Nature, to find the correct philosophical interpretation of the entire environment characteristic of a given area. There are no coincidences in Japanese kindergartens. All details, be it a stone, an ordinary tree stump or a small flashlight, are filled with meaning and are various symbols, for example, good luck or financial well-being.
Five elements are needed to create a Japanese style landscape design. The first one is spiritual. This is the foundation and the main conceptual component of the future garden.
The other four are material:
- water (yin energy) - means fluidity, variability;
- stones (yang energy) - a symbol of fortitude and courage;
- trees, shrubs, herbs - development, prosperity;
- small architectural forms.
Stones are of prime importance for the Japanese garden. This is its foundation. Sute-ishi - the ability to choose the right stones. There are even gardens made of stones alone, but this does not diminish their importance for people of Eastern culture.
To decorate a Japanese-style site in landscape design, you will need all the components at once. And then the composition will be filled with the genuine spirit of Japan. Perhaps for this reason, Japanese gardens are the least like the creation of human hands. They look quite natural at any time of the year. Therefore, caring for them is very simple.
How to make a Japanese-style garden with your own hands
Japanese gardens are about visual enjoyment only. No one walks on them or plays sports games on their territory. They do not arrange noisy feasts or discussions with the girlfriends of newfangled brands, the only thing that can be done in such a garden, apart from reflection and meditation, is to talk quietly and slowly, absorbing all the natural power concentrated in it.
Before you start creating a Japanese garden in the country with your own hands, see the photo below, you need to decide on its size, because they are very different.Depending on the location, there are small gardens (in tiny courtyards or in apartments in general) and large (flat or hilly).
A Japanese garden is located on a site most often between the house and the fence, at least the wind in such a place will not bother. And then you need to do the following:
- Make a sketch of the future garden and outline its compositional center. It should be asymmetrical and only one, you need to place it on the side. This is usually the largest or original item. For example, a vertical stone or even a single group of stones.
- Choose boulders, plants and decorative items. Mark their location on paper. The distance between them must be different. Otherwise, the garden will not look natural.
- It is necessary to place objects on the territory following two principles: reducing the size of objects in the direction from the center and forming from them a kind of islands-groups. Sometimes one of the stones is placed at an angle.
- Leave an empty space near the central object, so it will look more monumental. On the rest of the territory, outline the areas that will be covered with moss or pebbles. Their borders should be made arbitrarily curved, as close as possible to natural ones.
- If you plan to dig a pond on a garden site, it should not have the correct geometric shape.
If the Japanese garden is flat, its composition should be fully visible from any vantage point. A hilly garden is characterized by a noticeable change in composition depending on the location chosen.
Japanese style in landscape design: auxiliary elements
In Japan, it is customary to delimit space. Including on the site. Even the paths have their own fences, as well as reservoirs, bridges, teahouses and any kind of playground. The Japanese avoid high blank fences, and their areas are often fenced with low palisades. One of the popular Japanese style fences is wicker fence.
A fence for a Japanese garden should be simple, no frills and bright decor. It is believed that the fence should not contrast with the background, be variegated.
If it is planned to be made of stone, then the blocks are fastened with a special solution. Lattices and wooden slats are traditionally tied with plant fiber ropes. The main goal is to lighten the construction and easy replacement of components.
Japanese-style paths became relevant in the 17th century, when tea gardens began to appear in Japan, with tea houses that became famous throughout the world. Due to the fact that the guests were supposed to be imbued with an atmosphere of calmness and concentration, the paths were made very winding and long, and it was only allowed to step on stones set on the ground. These are tobiishi - step-by-step paths. They can turn into stone paving in certain areas. Later, gravel paths appeared, and some gardens began to function as walking paths.
A Japanese-style flower bed should not be full of bright colors and different varieties of plants. The Japanese prefer calm greenish tones and unusual flowers. They are planted in kindergartens weeping willow, maple, pine, plum tree. Sometimes trees grow in the form of bonsai. But the most famous were the flower beds created entirely of stones.
Very steep lawn. I recently took a gorgazon for myself.
The photo certainly looks gorgeous! Japanese style is very beautiful! Looks very, very dignified!