![]() ![]() Lighting, statuary, and interesting plants can all be used as focal points. ![]() They stimulate our minds and add interest to the visual experience. When planning your seating area, be sure to design your space to center around the vantage point of the seating area, adding focal points that can be enjoyed from the seated position.įOCAL POINTS: Focal points give our eyes something to land on as we sit in contemplation. SEATING: A designated seating area can provide a great way to encourage spending longer periods of time in an outdoor meditation space. Man bridges are often added to zen garden pathways for added ambiance. Pathways can be gravel, stepping stones, or plant-covered – so long as they are clearly defined. PATHWAYS: When incorporating pathways, consider how you want to move through the space and what you would prefer that experience to be like. WATER: Water is a modern addition to Zen gardens, often incorporated to create a more soothing environment and help drown out urban noises. The act of raking itself is meant as a meditative process that helps to improve mental concentration. GRAVEL or SAND: Most Zen gardens will feature an area of gravel or sand raked into patterns with symbolic meaning. Larger rocks can be used as sculptural elements. ROCKS: An important component in Japanese design, rocks represent the human desire for eternity and enduring elements in nature. Screening helps to block out the outside world and is an important feature to achieve a Zen garden. SCREENING: Zen gardens are meant to be secluded, a place to go inward. Over the years, Zen gardens have been adapted to include additional features however, they still remain a dedicated space to aid in quiet contemplation or meditation, whether it be at a corporate office or home landscape.ĭESIGN PRINCIPLES: Traditional Zen gardens are designed with 7 principles in mind. Gravel or sand is traditionally incorporated to create the visual appearance of dry “water” and is usually raked to give the appearance of ripples in water. Plants in Zen gardens are usually pruned trees and shrubs that have a sculptural appeal. ![]() From this vantage point, a miniature stylized landscape is thoughtfully composed through the use of carefully arranged rocks, plants, and gravel or sand. They are typically designed to be visible from a single vantage point outside of the garden. Zen gardens are usually relatively small and surrounded by a wall, buildings, or some sort of screening. They were intended to imitate the essence of nature, not the actual appearance of nature, to serve as an aid in practicing Zen meditation. These gardens, traditionally known as karesansui or dry gardens, were created at temples of Zen Buddhism. Many many years ago, a very specific style of rock gardens emerged in Ancient Japan. ![]()
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