Zen Gardens

There are dry gardens that utilize only sand, gravel and rocks. And there are lush, green gardens with a great variety of plantings.

They have been given various names, including meditation gardens, dry gardens, strolling gardens and Japanese gardens.

Regardless of the style of garden, the purpose of the garden is to create a place of contemplation. And contemplation garden was its original name when it was first created by a Zen priest.

These contemplative gardens can be as small as a book on your desk, or encompass a large expanse of landscape. The size is the least important aspect of the Zen garden.

The elements, arrangement and feeling brought about by their creation and enjoyment are their true value.

Elements of Zen Gardens

The dry garden utilizes the Japanese practice of borrowing scenery from nature. Using sand or gravel to imitate water and its movement, and rocks to imitate mountains, this design can adapt to any size and shape.

The choice of sand or gravel depends on the size of the garden. A small indoor dish garden will utilize sand and small rocks while an outdoor space will use gravel and a large stone and perhaps some smaller ones to imitate the landscape.

The gravel or sand is raked to look like the rippling patterns of the ocean, and bring tranquility to the mind.

The lush garden is rich with greenery. Paths are never straight, but flowing, passing through trees and shrubs, around water features and perhaps over a foot bridge.

The paths are meant to represent the spiritual journey of the walker. A bench can be included for sitting and meditating along the path.

Creating a miniature version of the Zen garden for our interior spaces is easy. With a small tray of sand and a few pebbles and small rocks, you can create a focal point for a place of meditation and tranquility at home or in your workplace.

Raking the sand and repositioning the rocks allows our minds to focus on nature and its flow, and temporarily escape the hectic pace of life.

We can recreate the look of the Zen garden in our landscapes by selecting the right elements. But it is more important to capture the feeling of peace and connection with nature that Zen gardens are meant to evoke.

More Zen and Japanese Gardens