JAPANESE GARDENS

INTRODUCTION
JAPANESE GARDENS DERIVE THEIR BEAUTY FROM A MIXING AND
BLENDING OF DIFFERENT ELEMENTS SUCH AS SAND, ROCKS,
WATER, ORNAMENTS (LANTERNS, WATER BASINS AND BAMBOO
FENCES), NATURAL PLANTS AND SURROUNDINGS.

THE GARDEN DESIGN IN JAPAN

IS STRONGLY CONNECTED TO
THE PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGION
OF THE COUNTRY.
SHINTO, BUDDHISM AND
TAOISM WERE USED IN THE
CREATION OF DIFFERENT
GARDEN STYLES IN ORDER TO
BRING A SPIRITUAL SENSE TO
THE GARDENS AND MAKE THEM
PLACES WHERE PEOPLE COULD
SPEND THEIR TIME IN A
PEACEFUL WAY AND MEDITATE.

NEED OF JAPANIES GARDEN

THE JAPANESE GARDENS WERE DEVELOPED WHEREVER THERE
WAS A NEED FOR A LANDMARK. FOR INSTANCE
HISTORICAL LANDMARKS SUCH AS BUDDHIST TEMPLES,
SHRINES
CASTLES.
LATER ON, JAPANESE GARDENING
STYLE WAS ALSO EMPLOYED FOR
MAKING
PRIVATE GARDENS IN RESIDENCES,
CITY PARKS
FREE SPACE AROUND THE
RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL
COMPLEXES

OBJECTIVES OF JAPANIES GARDEN

THE MAIN OBJECT OF A JAPANESE GARDEN IS TO COPY THE
BEAUTY OF NATURE AND TO BRING IT HOME BY ADAPTING IT
THROUGH DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES, MOST OBVIOUS IN THE ART
OF BONSAI.

PRINCIPLES
THREE BASIC PRINCIPLES:
REDUCED SCALE,
SYMBOLIZATION,
AND BORROWED VIEW.
THIS GARDEN OBJECTIVES ARE TO
BRING A SMALL PART OF THE
JAPANESE CULTURE TO THE
LOCATION BY USING THE TEA
GARDEN PRINCIPLES TO
EMBELLISH THE SURROUNDINGS

NATURE IS THE IDEAL THAT YOU MUST STRIVE FOR. YOU CAN
IDEALIZE IT, EVEN SYMBOLIZE IT, BUT YOU MUST NEVER
CREATE SOMETHING THAT NATURE ITSELF CANNOT.

BALANCE, OR SUMI. THE PROPORTIONS AND SPACES ARE AN

ESSENTIAL DESIGN PRINCIPLE

TRADITIONAL JAPANIES GARDEN

TRADITIONAL JAPANESE LANDSCAPE GARDENS CAN BE BROADLY
CATEGORIZED INTO THREE TYPES:

1. TSUKIYAMA
GARDENS (HILL
GARDENS).
PONDS, STREAMS,
HILLS, STONES, TREES,
FLOWERS, BRIDGES
AND PATHS ARE USED
TO CREATE A
MINIATURE
REPRODUCTION OF
NATURAL SCENERY.
THE NAME TSUKIYAMA
REFERS TO THE

 THEY STRIVE TO MAKE A SMALLER GARDEN APPEAR MORE

SPACIOUS.

SHRUBS ARE UTILIZED TO BLOCK

VIEWS OF SURROUNDING BUILDINGS.

THE GARDENS MAIN FOCUS IS

ON NEARBY MOUNTAINS IN THE
DISTANCE.

THE GARDEN HAS THE MOUNTAINS

AS PART OF ITS GROUNDS.

2. KARESANSUI GARDENS (DRY GARDENS). REPRODUCE

NATURAL LANDSCAPES IN A MORE ABSTRACT WAY BY USING
STONES, GRAVEL, SAND AND SOMETIMES A FEW PATCHES OF
MOSS FOR REPRESENTING MOUNTAINS, ISLANDS, BOATS, SEAS
AND RIVERS.

3. CHA NIWA GARDENS (TEA GARDENS). ARE BUILT FOR THE

TEA CEREMONY AND THEY CONTAIN A TEA HOUSE WHERE THE
ACTUAL CEREMONY IS HELD AND ARE DESIGNED IN AESTHETIC
SIMPLICITY ACCORDING TO THE CONCEPTS OF SADO (TEA
CEREMONY).

THEY ARE BUILT FOR TEA CEREMONIES.

TEA HOUSE IS WHERE THE CEREMONIES OCCUR, AND

THE STYLES OF BOTH THE HUT AND GARDEN ARE
BASED OFF THE SIMPLE CONCEPTS OF THE SADO.

THERE ARE STEPPING STONES

LEADING TO THE TEA HOUSE, STONE
LANTERNS, AND STONE BASINS
WHERE GUESTS PURIFY THEMSELVES
BEFORE A CEREMONY.
THE TEAHOUSE IS SCREENED BY
HEDGES TO CREATE A SENSE OF
REMOTENESS

WHAT DO WE THINK OF WHEN WE HEAR THE WORD JAPANESE

GARDEN?
PONDS/LAKES
STREAMS, WATERFALLS
JAPANESE LANTERNS
BRIDGES
EVERGREEN SHRUBS & TREES
CAREFUL, FORMAL PRUNING
PINK/PURPLE FLOWERS
COLORFUL FALL LEAVES
PEACEFUL/MEDITATION

BASIC RULES IN THE DESIGN OF JAPANESE GARDENS..

NATURAL: THAT SHOULD MAKE THE GARDEN LOOK AS IF IT
GREW BY ITSELF
ASYMMETRY: THAT CREATES THE IMPRESSION OF IT BEING
NATURAL
ODD NUMBERS: IT SUPPORTS THE EFFECT OF THE ASYMMETRY
SIMPLICITY: THAT
FOLLOWS THE IDEA
OF 'LESS IS MORE
TRIANGLE: THAT IS
THE MOST COMMON
SHAPE FOR
COMPOSITIONS MADE
OF STONES, PLANTS,
ETC.

BASIC RULES IN THE DESIGN OF JAPANESE GARDENS..

CONTRAST: THAT CREATES TENSION BETWEEN ELEMENTS
LINES: THAT CAN CREATE BOTH TRANQUILITY AND TENSION

CURVES:
THAT SOFTENS THE EFFECT
OPENNESS:
THAT INDICATES
INTERACTION BETWEEN
ALL ELEMENTS

ELEMENTS OF JAPANESE GARDENS..

WATER, REAL OR SYMBOLIC
SERVING AS A MAGNIFICENT
ELEMENT
ROCKS OR STONE
ARRANGEMENTS (TO CREATE
ROCK GARDENS)
A LANTERN, TYPICALLY OF STONE
A TEAHOUSE OR PAVILION
AN ENCLOSURE DEVICE SUCH AS
A HEDGE, FENCE, OR WALL OF
TRADITIONAL CHARACTER
A BRIDGE TO THE ISLAND, OR
STEPPING STONES

1. ARTIFICIAL HILLS
JAPANESE GARDENS ARE LANDSCAPED WITH ARTIFICIAL HILLS TO
EMBELLISH THE ARCHITECTURE.
WHERE AS EVEN REAL HILLS ARE SEEN, THEY ARE BORROWED
INTO THE HORIZON OF THE COMPOSITION

2. STONES
SUISEKI- ALSO KNOWN AS VIEWING STONES. THEY ARE STONES
FOUND IN NATURE THAT ARE BEAUTIFUL TO LOOK AT AND MAY
SUGGEST SOMETHING SUCH AS A DISTANT MOUNTAIN, ANIMAL
OR HUMAN FIGURE . THEY ARE NOT CARVED OR CHANGED BY
MAN.
THE GROUPING OF THE STONES CAN
EITHER BE DONE RANDOMLY OR EVEN
IN TRIANGULAR SHAPES. ACCORDING
TO JAPANESE TRADITION THE STONES
ARE ALWAYS POSITIONED IN ODD
NUMBERS.
STONES CAN BE INCORPORATED IN
NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS IN
APANESE GARDEN.
ALTERNATIVELY THEY CAN BE USED
TO REPRESENT A MOUNTAIN OR EVEN
AN ISLAND.

3. WATER
SINCE WATER SYMBOLIZES
PURITY IT GIVES THE WHOLE
GARDEN A TOUCH OF
FRESHNESS.
POND
GARDEN STREAMTHE RIVER STYLE SHOULD
RESEMBLE A MEANDERING
TRACT OF A DRAGON OR A
SNAKE
WATERFALLS-A WATERFALL
CREATES AN AMBIANCE OF
SERENITY IN A JAPANESE
GARDEN
ISLANDS

4. A STONE LANTERN
a stone lantern representing four natural elements: earth, water, fire and
wind.
originally intended to guide the visitors during nocturnal celebrations, its
light was also considered as the light of knowledge clearing away the
clouds of ignorance.
sculptured in stone, the
yukimi-gata lantern, or
snow lantern, which we
can admire here is of
current use. placed near
water it provides an
architectural element
which contrasts with the
natural components of
the garden.

5. STATUES
statues of male and female lions, placed
at the entrance of the garden in order to
protect the garden from intruders,
representing the two opposite forces: yin
and yang (fire and water, male and
female).

6. KOI FISH
the koi fish swimming in ponds, which has a decorative meaning

7. BRIDGES
Bridges are privileged sites in a Japanese garden, where one will linger
and take in the beauty of the landscape, watch the carps swimming in
their watery elements, and enjoy the softness of the breeze.
Bridges may be built of wood, bamboo, earth or stone. Whether they are
rounded, arc-shaped or in zigzags, they always remain in harmony with
the surrounding nature.

8. TREES IN JAPANESE GARDENS

Japanese garden is predominately green with its use of evergreen trees.
When flowering trees found in Japanese garden are camelias, specifically
the tsubaki and sazanka.
A. JAPANESE FIR
Scientific Name: Abies Firma
Habitat: Evergreen
Texture: Coarse
Height: 40 to 70
Leaf: 1.5" dark green needles are
notched at base; sharp prickly point
Flower/Fruit: 3.5 to 5" brown cones

B. JAPANESE STRIPPED-BARK MAPLE

Scientific Name: Acer capillipes

Habit: Deciduous
Growth Rate: Moderate
Site Requirements: Sun to partial
shade; prefers moist, well drained soil
Texture: Medium
Form: Round head; low branches
Height: 30 to 35
Flower/Fruit: Greenish white
flowers on 2.5 to 4" pendulous raceme;
attractive samara in fall

C. JAPANESE MAPLE

Scientific Name: Acer palmatum

Growth Rate: Slow to moderate
Site Requirements: Light dappled
shade; evenly moist, well drained soil;
protect from drying winds
Texture: Medium to fine
Form: Low; dense rounded top;
spreading branches; assumes a layered
look
Height: 15 to 25'
Flower/Fruit: Small red to purple
flowers; attractive if viewed closely but
insignificant from a distance

D. JAPANESE ALDER

Scientific Name: Alnus japonica

Site Requirements: Sun to partial
shade; range of soil types including
wet and infertile soil
Form: Slender, narrow upright habit
Height: 12 to 25
Leaf: Oval, narrow leaves
Flower/Fruit: Yellow brown to red
brown catkins (male flowers); female
flowers on short purplish brown
strobili which persist until winter

E. JAPANESE CORNEL DOGWOOD

Scientific Name
Cornus officinalis
Growth Rate: Moderate
Site Requirements: Sun to partial
shade; range of soil types
Texture: Medium
Form: Picturesque; multi-stemmed ;
low branches; oval to round habit
Height: 15 to 25'
Leaf: 4" opposite, simple leaves;
purple fall color
Flower/Fruit: Cluster of short
stalked yellow flowers with drooping
bracts on naked stems in early spring; .
5" shiny red fruit in clusters in fall

F. JAPANESE CEDAR

Scientific Name: Cryptomeria

japonica
Habit: Evergeen
Growth Rate: Moderate
Site Requirements: Sun to light,
high shade; rich deep, well drained soil
but will thrive in a range of soil types
Texture: Fine to medium
Form: Pyramidal; semiformal
Height: 50 to 60'
Leaf: Awl shaped, bright to blue-green
foliage; smooth to the touch; bronze
tones in winter, especially if exposed to
wind.
Flower/Fruit: Small terminal cones

9. FENCES AND WALLS

There are three types of fences:
the short fence which extends from the
house into the garden
an inner fence and an outer fence.
Short fences or sodegaki are screens
that hide unwanted views or objects.

They are about 6 or 7 feet high.

Add color and texture to the garden.

Materials used are bamboo, wood and

twigs of bamboo or tree.

10. GARDEN ENCLOSURES

For the garden to be a true retreat, we must first seal it away from the
outside world. Once it is enclosed, we must create a method (and a
mindset) to enter and leave our microcosm. Fences and gates are as
important to the Japanese garden as lanterns and maples.
As with most things associated with the garden the fence and gates have
deep symbolic meaning as well as specific function. We are encouraged
to view the garden as a separate world in which we have no worries or
concerns. The fence insulates us from the outside world and the gate is
the threshold where we both discard our worldly cares and then prepare
ourselves to once again face the world.

EXAMPLES

EXAMPLES