Garden Decors

A Japanese garden provides a place of tranquility and beauty. In Japanese culture, the garden is rich in symbolism and is honored as one of the highest art forms. In Western part of the world, a Japanese garden may be simply a garden with plants such as dwarf pines and maples and features that may include a koi pond or Zen garden, arched bridges, stone lanterns, deer and crane statues and restful landscaping designed to be enjoyed year-round.

Here are some tips for creating a Japanese garden:

• In the Japanese tradition of a strolling garden, provide delightful surprises along the way. For example, a weeping cherry tree planted at pond’s edge is beautiful from a distance, but as one draws near, there is the additional enjoyment of the blossoms reflected in the water. Other surprises could be Japanese stone lanterns and a deer statue tucked among large stones on the pond’s beach.
• To represent a Japanese teahouse, create a gazebo with cedar or redwood and bamboo, using clean simple lines.
• Allow for empty spaces, which define the surrounding elements and the Japanese tradition of in and yo, or in more familiar terms the yin and yang. This design is also very restful to the eyes and thus to the mind.
• Rather than including great amounts of color and variety of plants, choose plants, stones and water features carefully to create areas of quiet beauty and serenity.
• Honor nature by arranging your plants in a natural manner (think balance rather than symmetry).
• In the Japanese tradition of creating the illusion of spaciousness, place larger plants, rocks and statues in the front and gradually smaller ones moving towards the back of the garden.
• For a small water feature, consider a stone basin or redwood “wine barrel” with the water delivered through bamboo.
• Add a half moon bridge over your water feature. Or create an 8-fold bridge among pond plants. A search online for “Japanese garden bridges” will bring up many designs.
• Remembering that a Japanese garden is both a retreat and microcosm of nature, follow the tradition of enclosing your garden with fencing (such as bamboo or shrubbery) and gates. This symbolizes leaving your worldly cares outside, and by leaving a small “window” open to the garden for passerby, it all serves the traditional “hide and reveal” element.

Depending on your climate, you can most likely enjoy this type of garden year round, even in the snow (as in Japan). Here are a few plants to consider; dwarf pines, golden mimosa, Japanese flowering cherry, quaking aspen, bamboo, full-moon maple, wisteria, tree ferns and moss.

The benefits of gardening go far beyond gorgeous flowers and delectable vegetables. As any gardener will tell you gardening is good for the body and soul. And there are many studies that back that up. Recently, a study revealed that dirt actually has antidepressant qualities and that people who regularly “play” in the dirt are less likely to be depressed. This benefit alone is reason enough for most people to get into gardening, but the truth is that it’s just one of many benefits.

The vegetables grown in your garden are more nutritious than ones you’ll find in the grocery store. Much of the produce that finds its way to your local grocery store shelves has traveled many miles and been exposed to heaven knows what these days. And to make matters worse, some of those items in your produce section have taken up to two years to get there! So without a doubt, the vegetables you grow in your own garden will offer you tremendous nutrition and health advantages.

Gardening also contributes to your health by keeping you in shape. For most of us, gardening truly is a labor of love. And it’s worth it! Spending time in a garden beats working out in a sweaty gym full of strangers any day! Working in your garden regularly can lower your blood pressure, help you lose weight, fight osteoporosis, and even protect against certain types of cancer.

The benefits of gardening aren’t all health-related, but they’re just as important. Gardening helps you stay creative as you plan and research the plants you want to grow. Creativity is also needed when you plan the layout of your garden or where you’ll put your plants. Truly, gardening is one of the most creative activities you can take part in.

Gardening also helps keep you in touch with nature. This has the effect of helping you slow down—and maybe even make you take the time to smell the roses! Time spent gardening, while it can be physically tiring, is calming. It’s a wonderful stress reliever and you don’t just feel better, you rest better too. A little time spent pulling weeds is far less expensive than sedative medications and is something you can feel good about.

Too, creating something beautiful and useful is a benefit that comes from gardening and is one of the reasons people who start gardening stay with it throughout their lives. There are few things as personally satisfying than sitting down to a table heaped with bowls of steaming vegetables you grew yourself or looking at gorgeous roses you’ve lovingly tended.

As you can see, the benefits of gardening are many and as varied as the people who garden. They start the minute you purchase that first seed packet and last for years to come. In fact, gardening just may ensure you have more years to enjoy not just gardening but many other things as well!