Tips For Making A Zen Garden
A Zen garden, also called a Japanese garden and/or dry landscape garden, aside from the use by monks, is widely popular in homes for its simplicity and beauty. The biggest factor, however, that makes zen gardens popular with garden enthusiasts, is that they are so eas to make and easy to maintain than your other typical gardens.
If you are thinking about starting your zen garden, may it be a full outdoor garden or a desktop garden, here are 5 tips you should know:
Contain your Garden:
Whether you’re starting a desktop zen garden or an outdoor one, it is important to contain the area for your garden and place fences to separate it from its surroundings. Take note that it is best to use a wooden fence for your garden, any kind of wood you prefer. Bounding your garden would make it seem neater, and it would be easier to maintain it.
Use Sand or Gravel
Fill your garden, which is to be contained in itself, by sand or gravel. Since in making a zen garden, you aim to give the impression of a coastal scene seen from the sky with islands and the surrounding water, most zen gardens use these elements, especially sand, to represent the water.
Zen Garden
Put Rocks of Different Sizes
Zen gardens have numerous rocks that come in various sizes. These rocks would represent the islands that are surrounded by water, in this case, the sand.
It is important to test your creativity – decide where in your garden you would want to place each rock, and you could even group a couple of rocks if you wish. Most zen gardens usually have one rock which is much larger than the rest, and this represents a mountain or a cliff in the coastal area impression that you are aiming for.
Rake the Sand
As previously said, the sand represents the water. To fully create this effect, the sand needs to be raked to create the rippling effect of the sea. This is where it gets fun and creative as well. You can rake the sand in the way that you like and you can use various strokes. People with zen gardens regularly change and update how they rake their gardens.
Monks do this because it is said to be an act of meditation, although it is not easy work to do. If you have a small or desktop zen garden this should be easy for you, but if you have a big, outdoor garden it would take a lot of time and effort but it could be a fun family activity and it could refresh your mind and body.
Zen Garden
Take Time to Maintain It
What people like about zen gardens is that they are refreshingly simple and clean in appearance. Remember that this garden has meditative aims. You could add more to your garden than what is essential. But, it is recommended to avoid overdoing it and keep it very simple. Some zen gardens contain a bridge. But, a bridge or any added infrastructure in your garden is made out of wood. Moss may grow surrounding the rocks but other than that, plants should be kept at a minimum in zen gardens.
Zen gardens help us appreciate the beauty and simplicity of nature. They are nice and refreshing additions to homes or any living areas. Finally, the last and most important tip is to make your garden the main goal of zen gardens. It should feel the essence of nature.