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The Japanese are amazing at putting things in a totally different perspective. Their love for nature is incontrovertible and is evident in all their art forms from the past to the present. Their gardens are a perfect example. Landscape Japanese garden design may come in different forms but its principles remain intact. Natural elements are always used to replicate natural settings. In a landscape Japanese garden design, rocks, sand, stone, water and wood are everything. However, the purpose of these elements is never just for aesthetics. Natural elements are used to simulate a very strict idea of time and space that is one with nature, the fundamentals of Japanese garden design.
The central tenet of landscape Japanese garden design is the juxtaposition of emptiness with fullness, which is more commonly known as yin and yang. The empty space is referred to as ma, the key concept that defines all the other elements surrounding it. Another important concept is wabi and sabi, which is roughly translated as a one-of-a-kind element that is the ideal image of something. To make an ideal landscape Japanese garden, striking the perfect balance between wabi and sabi is crucial.
A working landscape Japanese garden is alive all-year round, and gardening is done with considerations of the four seasons. A universally ideal season is spring, when lush greenery is present. In summer, a landscape Japanese garden would present vivid colors of foliage against a koi pond as a backdrop. Fall is the season to appreciate the colors of dying leaves as winter approaches. Subsequently, winter is not the time to rest. Snow viewing lanterns are hung on snow-clad branches and winter is very much appreciated as growth seasons like spring and summer. An ideal landscape Japanese garden appreciates the cycle of life and death is a welcome guest.
An enclosure is also essential in planning a landscape Japanese garden design. The garden must be kept away from the outside elements if it were to serve as a retreat. The symbolism of fences and gates is very much alive in a landscape Japanese garden. The fence, as an enclosure, is like a web that protects you from outside forces. The gate is the threshold that lets you relieve yourself of the stresses of daily living, a required practice before entering the garden. Some fences are even built to give a passerby a small yet compelling view of the garden. Even from inside the yard, the Japanese build fences to hide the garden. To really appreciate a landscape Japanese garden design and view its entirety, you must enter it and make yourself one with nature. A view from afar is a no-no.
The fundamental concepts of landscape Japanese garden design are what make them awe-inspiring and spectacular. Very different from western garden concepts, these represent the Japanese view of life and nature. As proven by the simple ways they put these elements together, nature is a central part of the Japanese design concept, even with the way they deal with elements that are already natural.
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Author Bio Box: Patricia Wainwright
Get all the facts about gardening for beginners and gardening articles at GreenThumbArticles.com!
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