Modern Japanese Gardens

Traditional styles of Japanese gardens include the pond and island style, the dry landscape Zen garden, the Japanese tea garden, a stroll garden, and a courtyard garden.

A pond and island style garden is where a pond is created that is large enough for a boat or where a visitor can walk around the border of the pond. All the plants, rocks, and other features can be seen from the pond area. The plants and background elements are placed so that they blend into the natural landscape beyond the garden. There will be small islands with small bridges which span from the shoreline to one or more of the islands and then back to shore again on a different side.

Zen gardens were primarily used by Buddhist monks within their temples. These gardens contain large and small rocks, gravel or sand, and occasionally some moss or a few trees or shrubs. The carefully positioned rocks symbolize islands. The raked gravel or sand symbolizes water.

Japanese tea gardens are a type of garden where a tea ceremony can be performed. These gardens consist of an outer and inner garden. This is one of the more popular gardens to create. The outer garden has an entry gate and a stone path which leads to the inner garden. Visitors pass through a second gate where there is a water basin which is used in the ceremony. There is another stone path that goes through the inner garden and the plants there are not flowered to prevent any distractions along the journey. This path leads to the building where the tea ceremony will be performed.

In order to comprehend the beauty of a Japanese garden, it is necessary to understand - or at least to learn to understand - the beauty of stone. - Lafcadio Hearn

A Japanese stroll garden is a garden that is to be viewed while you walk around the garden. Paths will lead the visitor through twists and turns which will reveal something new to view. These gardens usually focus on a theme of some landscape found in nature and are recreated in miniature within the garden. An acre or more of land is needed for one of these gardens. They will sometimes contain a tea garden and a pond.

A courtyard garden is perfect for a small yard with a wooden fence or a stone or brick wall. This is a simple design style that is usually built to be observed inside the home. These usually consist of a small water feature, sometimes a dry stream, a few plants, or maybe a tree.