Japanese Zen Rock Garden

Which garden style you choose, and what it contains, will depend on many things. You\'ll need to look at the size of the area you have to plant, the climate and conditions in the place you live, and\nthe purpose of the garden. Do you want a retreat from the world, or an open space to enjoy the sun with your family? Do you like to work in the garden, keeping edges trimmed and beds tidy, or would\nyou rather put your plants in and let them grow as they will? The elements of Japanese gardens can be incorporated and adapted to suit whatever style you prefer.\n

Every Japanese garden relies on the same set of basic features: rocks, water, and plants; buildings, bridges, and walls; lighting and shade; and landscape, whether in miniature or in the land\nsurrounding the garden. In some cases, as in the Zen rock gardens, some of these features are replaced by others. For example, raked sand representing rippling water. In others, certain features are\nhighlighted by the fact of their absence: the inward-facing tea garden makes you aware of the world beyond the garden by ensuring that the outside landscape is entirely hidden.

\n

But the feature that is most important, and is common to all of the garden types, is what makes the difference between an authentic Japanese garden and one that merely uses some of its symbols -\nthe sense that the garden is perfectly suited to where it is and what it contains. As we mentioned before, the rules of design are so deeply buried in tradition that often unless you know exactly\nwhat to look for, it\'s hard to see that a Japanese garden has been \"designed\" because it may look completely natural. On the other hand, just putting a stone lantern in the middle of your petunia\npatch won\'t turn it into a tea garden.

\n

Rock gardens really offer some of the most spectacular garden vistas. Along with extensive usage of rocks and stones the plants native to the rocky or alpine environments are featured in the rock\ngardens or rockeries. Usually nowadays the rock gardens are designed by homeowners as a measure to make advantageous use of the rocky tract lying in their yards.

\n

Creating a rock garden and looking after its upkeep can be a good hobby. The retired persons can especially take this up as a pastime and spend many a leisurely moment in the rock garden.

\n

Origin of rock garden concept and aspects of rock gardens

\n

Originally it were the travelers to the Swiss Alps who got impressed by the flora that grew among the snowy heights and rocky terrain out there and introduced the exotic flora and feel in their\nhomelands. The rock gardens can come in various shapes and sizes. They may be small and simply done as also vast and elaborately set up. Every rock garden can be set up in a unique way. While simple\nrock gardens may include only flowers, foliage and rocks the exotic ones can also be made having ponds and waterfalls in them. Your landscape can indeed be wonderfully transformed by making use of a\nworthy rock garden idea.

\n

The rock garden is usually observed as a pile of rocks of different sizes that are aesthetically arranged with small gaps being introduced in between them for planting of flora. Bonsai may also be\nincorporated suitably in rock gardens. Rock gardens can also be styled in the Japanese rock garden way. In such case the rock gardens are also referred to as Zen garden. These are special rock\ngardens with hardly any plants. Rocks and affine, light colored gravel are what make up such Zen gardens.

\n

Going about with setting up of rock garden

\n

While proceeding with setting up of rock garden the rock that is available in the locality is primarily considered for building up the garden. This also gives a natural look to the garden. Often\nthere are a number of rock types to choose from. Any native rock that helps create a natural look should be selected. After placement of the rocks they ought to be allowed to settle down for a few\nweeks for judging their stability and effect on soil conditions.

\n