A piece of the Land of the Rising Sun. We create a garden in Japanese style. Japanese style garden Japanese garden layout

Japanese gardens fascinate at first sight. Filled with harmony, using silhouettes and textures as well as zoning, they radiate peace and tranquility, but are never boring. No wonder the idyllic Japanese landscapes inspire many to create, if not the entire garden, then at least a separate zone and corner in the Japanese style of landscape design. But if it is quite simple to repeat the motives, then it is not always possible to recreate the same atmosphere and the same illusion of perfection.

The difference is climatic conditions and the limited selection of “authentic” plants inevitably affects the design. But in the Japanese style, the main thing is not precision, but mood, harmony and tranquility. And it is these that you need to focus on when creating your own corner for reflection and meditation or relaxation in the Japanese style. And professional tricks will help you achieve your goal without much effort.

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As with any narrowly focused style of landscape design, the Japanese garden has its own strict criteria for arrangement and design, from which it is undesirable to deviate. The special, unique atmosphere of such a garden is created, first of all, by a limited, narrowly defined toolkit: materials, plants, permissible combinations and silhouettes in the Japanese style are strictly specified. And typical motifs, or “plots” for the garden, are transformed from simple samples into design rules.

Creating even a small meditation corner while maintaining the authentic Japanese style atmosphere is not easy. After all, this is not a trend in landscape design in which one can only imitate: “fakes,” imitations and superficial attitudes are immediately recognizable. Even the slightest deviations from philosophical foundations Japanese garden can lead to loss of special mood and harmony.

The task of creating a Japanese garden seems especially difficult where winters are harsh and plants typical of Japan simply do not grow. But if magnolias or tropical exotics do not live in your garden, this does not mean that you cannot recreate a corner of Japan on your site. The main thing is to correctly approach the selection of plants based on their picturesqueness, watercolors, beauty of silhouettes and color palette. With materials, everything is much simpler: you can create beautiful objects from local stones.

This style has both its canons and its secrets. Let’s take a closer look at the 12 main “secrets” of the Japanese garden, which will help you avoid mistakes in decorating a Japanese-style corner on your own site.

Secret 1. Be inspired by nature

The Japanese garden glorifies the harmony of nature and its beauty. And the design of the garden always includes natural landscapes. When looking for inspiration for arranging a Japanese-style corner for your garden, turn to the natural landscapes of this distant and beautiful country. Hilly terrain, natural combinations of dome-shaped, picturesque silhouettes of bushes and trees with water bodies, stones and moss - these are the “basics” from which you should start in your search for ideas.

The characteristic features of the Japanese style are determined by the relationship of plants, stones, water and moss. And you must use each of these elements in such a way as to create the illusion of natural beauty and authenticity. The stones should “grow” into the ground,” the bushes should sparkle against the backdrop of large boulders. And if you remember their symbiosis and try to repeat the motifs inherent in Japanese nature, you will never go wrong. Create miniature landscapes, inspired either by the beauty of ponds or mountain landscapes, and notice the relationship between silhouettes, shapes and sizes.

Secret 2. No continuous flowering

If you want to achieve authenticity in the design of Japanese corners, then first of all forget about the most fashionable and almost mandatory principle of landscaping - the flowering relay race, thanks to which there is not even a day in the gardens when at least one plant is not blooming, every season is the same beautiful and lush. In a Japanese garden, the opposite is true: you must emphasize the beauty of each season and its character, clearly dividing the stages of flowering and changing the appearance of the landscape according to the time of year.

The main flowering season should be in spring. Magnolias, azaleas, peonies - these are the main stars of a colorful garden filled with color spots. In the summer, only water lilies and rare individual accents should bloom in a Japanese garden: the peace and tranquility of the green color, presented in all its diversity, has a stronger impact in this hot season than any abundantly blooming accents. The second “explosion” of color, and perhaps the most unforgettable, should be planned for the fall: when the leaves of the plants with the incomparable silhouettes of the bushes are painted in bright colors, the garden will flare up with fire and crimson, and the picturesqueness inherent in it will be revealed. But you shouldn’t think that a Japanese garden can be “empty” even in winter. It is with an eye to the coldest time of the year that plants with beautiful silhouettes and bizarre shapes are so strictly selected, and stones are used so carefully. When the branches are dusted with the first snow, the Japanese garden will reveal its structural harmony.

Erika Colombo

Secret 3. Become a tree worshiper

The importance of trees in the Japanese style of landscape design cannot be overestimated. And it’s not just that tree veneration is part of the local religion. They really have a special attitude: the usual structuring role of large accents is complemented by the function of the semantic center of even a small corner and the status of the main pride of the compositions. In such a garden, the trees should look natural, just like in nature (even if this sometimes requires tireless work). Curved and bowed by time and winds, picturesque and unique in silhouette, “layered” and tiered, landscape types of trees are more appropriate here than trimmed and austere ones.

When using woody ones in your design, do not forget about plants typical of Japanese gardens, the variety of species and varieties of which will allow you to find a variety and species suitable for any climate. In a corner decorated in Japanese style, the following are appropriate:

the most famous inhabitant of the Japanese garden is the pine tree, a symbol of growth and life, beautiful both in dwarf forms and in majestic giant forms;
Sakura, unique in its picturesqueness, is a Japanese decorative cherry, the flowering of which has become a symbol of Japan;
magnificent and variable kings of autumn maples.

Secret 4. Colored spots of flowering shrubs

Japanese style does not require planting dozens of different flowering plants. It is better to choose 1-2, but very catchy shrubs, the beauty and abundance of flowering of which will speak for themselves. Of all the flowering plants that can be used to decorate corners and areas in the Japanese style, shrubs should always be given preference. And when choosing a specific plant, it is better to focus on spring flowering and bright color: at the peak of flowering, the shrub should turn into a solid spot of color or surprise with large, unusually beautiful flowers of enormous size.

Absolute favorites of Japanese style:

rhododendrons of all sizes and types, the beauty of which cannot be eclipsed, and are the standard of showiness among garden shrubs;
tree peonies with gigantic and strikingly watercolor flowers, even the stamens of which are especially picturesque;
forsythia in a trimmed form, giving the landscapes grace and naturalness, captivating with the early spring scattering of dazzling yellow star flowers;
blooming magnolias, which even in tub form are a spectacle of extraordinary beauty;
picturesque, with elongated silhouettes and elegant contours of the irga, which not only blooms beautifully, but also provides shade without visually overwhelming even the smallest resting corner;
the picturesque Japanese pieris, whose beauty of flowering can compete with the showiness of the leaves;
the evergreen cherry laurel with its showy green crown, beautiful and unformed;
hydrangeas with their very large inflorescence caps.

If there is little space, full-fledged shrubs can always be replaced with clever vines that can easily fill a bamboo fence - for example, honeysuckle or wisteria, the flowering of which will turn into another unforgettable “touch” of the Japanese spring.

Secret 5. Don't be afraid of water

Water is as fundamental an element of Japanese style as plants and stones. It is simply impossible to imagine a Japanese garden without a picturesque pond, which gives the garden special expressiveness and charm, filling the landscapes with life and emphasizing the atmosphere of peace and tranquility. Ponds, waterfalls, streams literally breathe harmony and peace, and it is impossible not to admire the beauty of the water surface with water lily leaves floating on it, stone banks, densely overgrown with plants and shrubs framing the pond for hours.

Of course, if you decorate the entire area in the spirit of a Japanese garden, you can allow yourself to experiment with ponds of any type and size. But if you are arranging only one Japanese corner, especially if you are just recreating a rock garden or terrace, then water features seem impossible. But water is not only possible, but also necessary to be used even in such exceptional circumstances. Mobile ponds, mini-reservoirs, indoor and interior fountains will bring water element anywhere. Moreover, setting up a mobile pond is more than easy; it does not require the same care and effort as a full-fledged pond. And in it you can always grow even exotic plants that are unavailable in your area - for example, the star of authentic Japanese gardens - the lotus. And if you don’t want to tinker with plants, just install stone wells or bowls and fill them with water (the original tsukubai are especially good - stone tanks for ritual washing of hands). You can also imitate water with clearings covered with gravel or sand: raking, leaving waves on the surface, imitates exactly the wavy surface of water in a rock garden.

Tony Shertila

Secret 6. Moss and ground covers in the company of selected perennials

In a Japanese garden, “green lawns” play a very important role. But traditional lawn grasses have no place here. They need to be replaced either with moss or ground covers that are more suitable for our conditions - Waldsteinia, Acena, which look no less impressive. Japanese gardens also like to use periwinkle with its winter-green foliage. And leaf fern and pachysandra form a truly fabulous carpet that connects the stones with soft transitions.

With perennials for the Japanese garden, everything is not so simple. When decorating water bodies, aquatic species of irises and grasses can be used at your discretion, as long as they do not violate the integrity of the image and balance. But as a complement to stones, boulders, shrubs and trees, perennials are used literally “individually”, relying either on natural beauty, a “wild” effect, or on catchy foliage. Forget-me-nots, bergenia, hosta, fescue, primrose, and Japanese irises will fit well into a Japanese-style corner.

doyouknowjapan

Secret 7. Stone magic

Imitating nature, starting from ponds and streams in the structure of the landscape, the Japanese garden proposes to make stones an indispensable part of the design and landscaping. The main thing for the Japanese style is simplicity, naturalness of shapes and lines. For a corner in the spirit of the Land of the Rising Sun, only natural and untreated stone is used. Bizarre, unusual stones with different colors and textures should be used along with fine decorative stone soil, coarse sand and gravel. Flat stones for walking paths, river pebbles, huge boulders and a scattering of smaller stones should form the structural basis of the compositions and fill all the free space remaining from the plants. There should be at least twice as many stones in any object decorated in Japanese style as there are plants.

And remember the symbolic content of the compositions, turning all the stone elements into something more. Large boulders are a symbol of rocks, medium stones dug into the ground are islands washed by water. And the surface covered with gravel or stone chips imitates water.

Secret 8. Symbols and contrasts

In order to recreate the peace that reigns in Japanese gardens, the balance of the amazing play of richness of colors and shapes with the restrained coldness and detachment of the principles of arrangement, it is necessary to always and in everything be guided by two main principles of design - the necessity of contrasts and symbolic content. In a corner decorated in Japanese style, it is appropriate to use only those decorative elements and accessories that are symbolic in nature. And plants and stones must contrast with each other: literally every object must have its own “counterweight”.

Secret 9. Floorings and mats

Stone or other coverings are not used to pave areas, decorate terraces, or create places for drinking tea or meditation in a Japanese garden. Stones and stone chips— full-fledged “participants” of landscape combinations. And for paving, they must be replaced with a practical, but contrasting wooden platform. Wooden platforms are comfortable, warm, and complement both plants and rock surprisingly well. And to add authenticity, stock up on straw mats and reed mats that you can lay on wooden platforms.

Secret 10. Using small architecture

No matter how carefully you select plants, without accents and decorative elements you can't get by. The most important thing in recreating the authentic atmosphere of a Japanese garden is the use of at least one architectural element - and whether it is a full-fledged functional object or its imitation, sculpture or decor does not matter. It is impossible to imagine typical landscapes of Japan without stone lanterns, pagodas or tea houses, red wooden bridges thrown across a body of water. And if in a small corner the construction of full-fledged functional objects is inappropriate, then small sculptures that repeat their silhouettes, decorative bridges and pagodas will always fit into the image. The most versatile option is a stone lantern, which is appropriate near the terrace, in the rock garden, and near the pond.

Secret 11. Bamboo is good in any form

It is almost as impossible to imagine Japanese-style decoration without bamboo as it is without stones. Aggressive, but such a beautiful bamboo growing in the garden is still a dream for the inhabitants of regions with harsh winters, although winter-hardy low species are beginning to gain greater popularity today. But bamboos growing in tubs can be used more actively, placing them not only on a terrace or recreation area, but also adding them to plants planted in the soil as accents.

But bamboo will be appropriate in your Japanese-style corner not only in its “living” form: various accessories, decor and household items made of bamboo play an equally style-forming role. A bamboo ladle, a mat, a wattle fence or fence, posts, wind chimes, bamboo stems used as support or a drain - there are many options. Be sure to include at least one bamboo element in the design of your corner - and you will immediately feel how much more expressive the stylistic content has become.

Mary Warren

Secret 12. Constant attention

To create a harmonious corner in the Japanese style, in which harmony and atmosphere will reign, every minute in which will seem to transport you through time and space, you need to provide tireless care to the plants and the design in general. Japanese style requires tireless attention. Tying and pruning, maintaining the perfect shape, clean lines and impeccable condition of stone fills and ponds, removing fading flowers and dry leaves requires a lot of work. Without which all efforts will easily be ruined by neglect.

A dacha is not only a place where fruits and vegetables are grown, but also an opportunity to escape from problems and communicate with nature. Therefore, most summer residents try to create all kinds of places for relaxation on their plots.

A Japanese garden can be a stylish and unusual place to relax. It does not require a lot of space, 5-7 m2 is enough. Armed with information about creating a Japanese-style garden with your own hands and with a little effort, you can get a magical corner for relaxation and rest.

Distinctive features of Japanese landscape design

The style of an oriental garden is determined by the nature of the state of Japan, more than half of whose area is occupied by mountainous areas. The landscapes are dominated by rocks, mountain streams, lakes, and the seashore. The elements of water, stone and plants predominate here.

Therefore, Japan is characterized by a muted color scheme of gray-brown and greenish tones. Floral elements complement the picture; this is the philosophical principle of non-interference in nature. Nature itself is beautiful and harmonious. It doesn't need decoration.

The area of a Japanese green corner is often small, but all elements are carefully thought out. Photo example:

Site planning basics

Depending on the terrain, there are two types of garden layout:

flat (suitable for small areas);
hilly.

For the Japanese style, elements of water and stone are required. Water is a pond, stream, fountain, it all depends on your financial capabilities. The stones represent mountains; there can be from one to a dozen of them, if the territory allows.

Much attention is paid to paths, bridges and gazebos. Plants in such a garden are not the main component. Therefore, they should not be too pompous. Moss and monochrome low flowers, “weeping” trees, modest green shrubs - these are its characteristic inhabitants.

Basic techniques for creating a Japanese-style garden

Certain rules should be followed to achieve the best results:

The design does not have to be symmetrical.
Each component of the garden is thought out in advance and fits harmoniously into the composition.
The elements are selected in soft shades, of the correct shape, if they are stones, then rounded. Such components are designed to calm and relax a person.
Unoccupied land in Japanese classical gardens is covered with gravel or compacted. It is not forbidden to plant lawn grass. Green meadows are made small.
The elements of the garden are placed at a certain distance from each other. There is no need to plant a large number of plants and install a lot of stones.

A garden formed according to these laws resembles a natural landscape.

DIY Japanese garden design step by step

We are drawing up a project. It will depend on the area of the site: flat or hilly. It is easier to plant a garden on a flat area. Hilly - more like a Japanese landscape.
We pay attention to the tracks, their configuration and the material from which they will be made. Paths made of flat stones will look more organic.
We select stones. They should match in color and not have sharp corners or chips. The stones are placed in the center of the garden, avoiding piling one on top of another. The distance between them is planted with grass or moss, or sprinkled with gravel.
We select vegetation taking into account the Russian climate. No need to clutter the garden big trees and bushes, especially if its territory is small. Ground covers and low bushes or small conifers are suitable. Of the large trees, you can plant one, but it is textured, bright and blooms for a long time.
We are planning auxiliary components: a stream, a fountain, a pond, a gazebo or a bridge.
Thinking through the lighting. Lanterns can be either high, up to 2 m, or hidden in the bushes.
An important step in designing a Japanese garden is the choice of plants. They must be cold-resistant and combined with Japanese style.

Selection of plants for Japanese design

Vegetation is chosen based on the fact that in a Japanese classical garden it is decorative all year round. In cold climates, evergreen plants are scarce. Therefore, given the frosty winters, they plant in our Japanese gardens next trees and shrubs:

pine, which can be shaped according to the gardener’s wishes;
felt cherry;
maple;
tree peony;
frost-resistant rhododendron;
different varieties of barberry and hawthorn;
cold-resistant spirea;
winter-hardy ground covers;
ferns;
perennial flowers.

Note! When choosing vegetation for a Japanese garden, adhere to the rule “less is more.”

The main thing is to avoid pretentiousness. The garden should look simple and concise. If you follow the basic rules, you will have amazing place for privacy and escape from everyday worries.

Reading time ≈ 4 minutes

An exotic garden in the Japanese style will differ from those familiar to our eyes with a higher degree of thoughtfulness. Due to the limited territory in Japan, traditionally each meter carries a certain stylistic load. Therefore, compactness and diversity are the main features of Japanese gardens. There are no flower beds, flower beds or straight paths. In the first place, stones and gravel, winding streams and waterfalls, and dwarf trees are sure to catch the eye.

Japanese gardens are mysterious; they affect the beholder with the perfection of forms and beauty, the shimmer of green color and the laconicism of artistic techniques. The essence of the landscape of the Land of the Rising Sun is the harmony of 3 elements - water, stone and plants. The structure of the landscape is determined by stones; it is very important to understand the art of arranging them. Small scatterings of pebbles, stones and boulders should lie asymmetrically, and if they are overgrown with moss over time, this will make the composition even more natural.

Compositional construction of a garden in Japanese style

If you decide to build a Japanese-style garden with your own hands, then you need to start with the composition. The garden can be flat or hilly. The hilly area allows you to create more textured compositions. If you have a relatively flat area, you can make artificial hills. There are 2 types of compositions that you can see in the photo in the article - these are:

a lonely composition, where the main element can be a rock, a lantern, a statue, a miniature pagoda or a waterfall;
group, where there are many equivalent elements.

The composition should be such that the garden reveals its beauty from any vantage point. There should be no unsightly blind spots. Another feature of the layout is that it should not open completely. With each step, some miniature new composition should open: around the bend is a stream, behind a tree is a lantern.

Embodiment

So, you have decided to design a Japanese-style garden. It is quite feasible to plant a Japanese-style garden on a small plot - for example, on just the notorious 6 acres. The obligatory elements present on the site must be stones and water. Think about how you will implement this. Reservoirs can be implemented in different ways. It could be a peaceful river, a bay with islands, or a waterfall. You can make a dry stream in which water is depicted using pebbles and sand. Then wavy lines are drawn along the pebble stream with a rake.

Paths should not lead directly to the house or somewhere else. The garden should have walking paths, winding, passing along the periphery of the garden. The paths are laid out from stone slabs of different textures or from wooden covering. The middle of the garden should be free of paths.

The design of a garden in the Japanese style, as in the photo, involves wooden benches and bridges, and traditional stone lanterns. Traditionally, in a Japanese garden there is a tsukubai - a barrel-shaped stone bowl filled with water, 20 to 60 cm high. The Japanese traditionally wash their hands in this bowl before participating in the tea ceremony.

Plants in a Japanese garden

It's time to choose plants for your Japanese-style garden. Dominates here green. In our climate, the main plantings are evergreens: conifers and shrubs. The main plant is pine, symbolizing eternity; plum is the most common choice for flowering plants; among shrubs, rhododendron confidently holds the palm. Japanese plants are unlikely to take root in our climate, so it would be appropriate to replace sakura, for example, with irga, which has equally beautiful spring blooms.

Flowering perennials and annuals are almost absent here. Bright spots should be seasonal, short-term and few in number - peonies and irises, rhododendrons in bloom, spring flowering shrubs, autumn maples. The periods of flowering and fruit formation will bring rhythm to quiet life garden

If you decide to create a Japanese-style garden at your dacha, then you need to cover it from prying eyes. The intimacy is one of the features of this place, because it was originally created for meditation. Gates, hedges, hedges made of acute spirea and shiny cotoneaster are mandatory elements.

Of course, creating a Japanese garden will require a lot of time and effort, but the result will be worth it. After all, this perfect place for a quiet, peaceful time.

Japan has always attracted the minds of people, primarily with its mystery, mystery and unusualness. The Japanese garden is incompatible with a riot of colors; its main purpose is not to admire beautiful flowers. The main thing is to make a person think about the sublime, at least for a short time to forget about the imperfections of the world around him.

Types of Japanese gardens

At first glance, achieving such an effect on your own is extremely difficult. Especially if you start learning the basics of creating Japanese gardens with complex compositions, but don’t give up. Before you start thinking about the layout and selecting elements for decoration, it would be useful to familiarize yourself with the types of Japanese-style gardens.

There are 4 types of gardens:

park gardens– we can say that the gardening art of Japan began with them; the first representatives of this type appeared around the 6th-7th centuries, migrating from China;

palace ones - appeared in the 9th-12th centuries; from the name it is clear that mere mortals cannot have such gardens;
temple ones - they are located at monasteries and should set a person up to think about lofty matters;
the domestic type is the most common, not only in Japan, but also abroad.

Park garden

His distinctive feature is a large area, most often such gardens were located on a flat area where a river flowed or there was a lake. In some cases, nearby rice fields were also used as part of the decoration.

This is not the property of one person, but rather a national treasure, especially since such gardens have practically not been preserved in their original form. This great place for creativity and relaxation. In the past, these were the places that imperial families preferred to relax.

This type became the basis and Japanese garden art of later times borrowed much from the design of the first gardens. For example, strict color scheme and minimalism in design.

Palace Gardens

Like the park ones, they occupied a significant area and were used mainly for the pleasant pastime of the imperial family and the nobility. The main element is an island and a lake (or even several), connected to the shore by elegant wooden bridges.

Otherwise, the design was very reminiscent of park gardens, the only thing the main emphasis was on was that the reservoir had to be visible not only from the ground, but also from the building. The size of the reservoir had to be sufficient for boat trips, a pastime that the Japanese emperors loved.

Temple Gardens

In Zen Buddhism, the beauty of nature is not the least important. It is believed that contemplating beauty and perfection wildlife a person can become a little closer to knowing the truth. That is why the Japanese garden is an integral element of every self-respecting temple in the land of the rising sun.

It is worth noting the new trend in the design of the territory. It was here that for the first time the usual plants began to be replaced by boulders and small stones (depending on the area of the garden). We are talking about the famous “stone gardens” and.

Boulders, pebbles, small stones, pieces of moss. Particular attention is paid mutual position individual elements, the intricacies of creating a rock garden are discussed below.

Pay attention!
When using boulders and stones among vegetation, moss on them is appropriate.
This technique will only enhance the overall impression of hoary antiquity, and this will be beneficial general impression from the garden.

Home gardens

In Japan, the problem of free territory has been acute for many years now, but even in such conditions, many houses have their own small garden. It gets to the point that its area can be literally measured in a few square meters.

Visually, such a Japanese garden should create a feeling of continuation of the space of the house. It is advisable to use water; its murmuring will promote peace. The ideal option would be to combine the sequence small bodies of water cascades of low waterfalls.

Tea gardens can be distinguished as a subspecies in this category - tea drinking is a serious ceremony and requires a separate approach. The tea garden was supposed to take a person through winding path to the water source, and after the traditional washing of hands, it was time for tea.

Features of Japanese gardens

Each Japanese-style garden is unique, but several can be distinguished general recommendations, applicable in the design of any garden. You can also cite a number of elements that can be skillfully combined to create an unusual atmosphere.

When designing a site, you should adhere to the following recommendations:

the use of stones can only be encouraged;
water is also a recommended garden design element. Of course, not everyone can afford to arrange a small lake on their property, but the effect of the water surface is worth the financial cost;

if nothing works out with a reservoir, then you can try to create a dry stream. The main task of the designer is to create the feeling that a small stream has just dried up;
paths in a Japanese garden should not bend at sharp or right angles. In nature you can only find soft curves and smooth contours; paths should be made in the same style;

lighting - everything is simple with this, you can simply purchase ready-made ones in the Japanese style and install them in suitable places;
Properly selected vegetation also plays a big role;

Pay attention!
The lighting should be soft; flooding the entire area with bright light is completely unnecessary.

if the size of the plot allows, then on the shore of the lake you can install a small pagoda or at least a couple of benches for rest and reflection;
in some cases, a Japanese garden will look incomplete without a “shishi-odoshi” (deer scarecrow) or “tsuku-bai”, the same scarecrow, only with a more complex design.

Rock garden

To create it you will need several large stones, gravel to decorate the space between them and, possibly, some moss.

The main difficulty when arranging stones is not to violate the basic rules of a stone garden:

large boulders can be found in splendid isolation in the garden;
smaller stones can be grouped by 3.5 or even 7 stones. It is recommended to combine elongated and regular shapes;

Pay attention!
It is strictly forbidden to place oblong stones in a horizontal position.
So they will resemble a lying human body, that is, they will evoke associations with death - not best effect for the garden.

there is no need to try to achieve symmetry. When designing a garden with your own hands, it is better to choose the right point of contemplation and build on it;

space between separate groups The stones are filled with gravel, it is leveled and wavy lines can be drawn on its surface with an ordinary rake - this will symbolize the sea.

Pay attention!
There are not always boulders at hand the desired shape, and not everyone can handle heavy weights.
A way out of this situation can be homemade stones with a filler made of plastic bags and a frame made of reinforcing mesh, their surface is coated with a layer of cement mortar and after drying, such a stone does not differ from natural stone.

Water in a Japanese garden

When constructing a pond, it is important to feel the balance between the size of, for example, a pond and the size of the garden itself. A stormy waterfall will look out of place in a small garden and will become more of a source of concern than a calming mood.

Not a single Japanese landscaped garden cannot do without reservoirs (as an option, “dry reservoirs” can be used). A cascade of small waterfalls or a simple stream would look nice, but static bodies of water are also widespread.

Particular attention should be paid to the following features:

coastline - regular rounded outlines are contraindicated for Japanese gardens. It is best if the coast is broken;
reflection of the water mirror - a good solution would be to plant plants on the shore that will hang over the water;
Large boulders would be appropriate at the bottom of the lake;
if the size allows, then in the center of the lake there must be a small island, to which an elegant wooden bridge should lead from the shore.

Dry bodies of water

Japanese parks and gardens often do without water in the usual form; in this case, so-called “dry streams” or ponds are often used. The main task of the designer is to give the viewer the impression that the water disappeared just a few hours ago and the next rain the reservoir will be filled.

For the simplest version of a dry stream, the instructions look like this:

a channel is formed. To do this, the turf is removed and a depression is made in the ground;
the riverbed is laid out with pebbles (you can also use other materials, for example, granite);
plants that usually grow near bodies of water are planted on the banks;

Pay attention!
A couple of plants can be planted in the very bed of the stream.

installation of small bridges is allowed.

Paths and vegetation in the garden

When organizing paths in the garden, long straight sections should be avoided, but frequent sharp turns will be unnecessary. The path should curve smoothly and, walking along it, a person should see all the hidden corners.

Regarding appearance, then you should not adhere to correct forms, that is, a paving slab will not work. The best option is large stones with a flat surface; if traces of weathering are noticeable on them, this will only be beneficial. The edges of such large stones can be decorated with moss; there are many options, and the price of such a path will be even less than that made from ordinary tiles.

Stones can be called the basis (skeleton) of a garden, but without plants (without flesh) any garden will look empty. But not every type of vegetation is suitable; if in an ordinary garden bright spots are only beneficial, then when decorating in the Japanese style, the color scheme should be calmer.

The most commonly used are evergreen species, which are important primarily because they allow you to create interesting forms that last all year round. And the eternal greenery makes you think about the eternal.

As for specific species, the following plants can be used for a Japanese garden in Russia:

Japanese maples (you will have to carefully insulate them for the winter), other types of maples can be used;

coniferous plants - we are talking about different types pine trees;
bamboo is rarely used, in Russia we can only mention sazu - a small bamboo that warm time will grow to a maximum of 1.5 m;
Shrubs include azaleas, rhododendrons, and euonymus;
Irises and chrysanthemums are suitable for perennials;

Ferns and moss are also often used in decoration.

Pay attention!
When choosing a plant for a Japanese garden, you need to take into account the climate of Russia.
Some of them cannot tolerate severe frosts.

Summing up

The Japanese garden is a great place not only for simple relaxation, but also for thinking about the eternal. This place puts you in a calm mood and makes thoughts flow smoothly and measuredly like the waters of a deep river.

Despite the apparent simplicity when designing, you need to take into account a lot of nuances, the information in this article will help you understand this issue. The video in this article discusses the main nuances of designing a garden in the Japanese style.

The cultural traditions of Japan have always attracted Westerners with their mystery. Interest also extended to the field of landscape design. A striking example The design of the site in oriental style is a rock garden.

The trend originated in the middle of the second millennium, and not only has not lost its relevance in modern reality, but is also actively used in Western European design. Setting up a Japanese rock garden with your own hands is a completely doable task; this informative publication will help you verify this.

Japanese garden concept

Landscape design techniques are inexhaustible. The owner of a summer house without the inclinations of a florist will like the idea of decorating the site with a Japanese garden. This involves installing several stones on a flat area, the space between which is filled with gravel, pebbles or sand. The perception of a chaotic arrangement of cobblestones or stones is erroneous. In fact, all elements of a Japanese garden are subordinated to a single concept.

The design of the rock garden is based on the school of Zen Buddhism, that is, a philosophy aimed at contemplating and comprehending the highest truths through concentration and meditation. Typically, compositions in a Japanese garden are formed by three stones, symbolizing the triad of Buddhist philosophy. Creating a Japanese garden according to strict principles is a thing of the past; now, when decorating a garden plot, some deviations from age-old norms and traditions are allowed.

A distinctive feature is the formation of furrows on the surface of pebbles or sand, made with special rakes. Circular stripes around the stones symbolize the waves washing the lonely islands. The origins of the Japanese garden culture come from a legend according to which the islands were inhabited by immortal beings. After futile attempts to find a heavenly place, people independently began to bring the idealistic picture to life. You can get the opportunity to immerse yourself in peaceful reflection after a hectic day if you arrange a Japanese garden in your country house with your own hands.

Principles of creating a stone garden

According to eastern canons, stone elements played a key role. Therefore, the monks purposefully searched for boulders and cobblestones of suitable shapes. After which some were installed in their original form, and figures were carved out of individual specimens.

Important! The formation of the garden is subject to certain laws, but at the same time the entire composition is as close as possible to the natural landscape.

Decorating a garden plot in the Japanese style no longer has a sacred meaning, but certain principles must still be observed. There are three main criteria by which stone elements are selected. Regarding the form:

No sharp corners. If there are chips, they must be smoothed out by centuries of exposure to wind or water. This helps reduce aggression and create a peaceful atmosphere. Lonely standing boulders are selected especially carefully.
At the dacha in the Japanese garden, inclined, flat, stepped stones, with a vertical or horizontal arrangement, are welcome.
Overly regular, cubic or spherical shapes should be avoided.

There are also certain rules regarding color:

Allowed various shades stones: black and white, purple and red, gray and brown.
The degree of gloss also matters. In some cases, the harmony of a Japanese garden in a country house is achieved by installing matte stones; for other spaces, natural gloss is relevant.
When selecting stones for a Japanese garden in the country, it is important to maintain harmony color palette. Do not pile up specimens with contrasting shades. Slight shine and uniform range of colors - best option for a calm and serene atmosphere.
When designing a Japanese garden at your dacha, pay attention to the presence of inclusions on the stones. They can be interesting to play with when setting up.

The structure of the stones is the last criterion when choosing specimens for a summer cottage site. Hard and durable material is most valued by fans of oriental style, because this will guarantee the durability of the created composition.

The Japanese rock garden photo is filled with sophistication, comfort and tranquility.

Stages of arrangement

A Japanese-style rock garden has many advantages. To form the eastern corner you will not need to occupy a large plot of land. Look for seedlings and then take care of them exotic plants also not necessary. Infertile or depleted soil is not an obstacle to creating a Japanese garden. You can achieve the goal of relaxing or reconnecting with the cosmic mind only in solitude, so the garden is given the most secluded corner in the dacha.

Before starting work, the entire composition is carefully drawn on paper; moving unsuccessfully placed copies in the future is a labor-intensive task. Typically, 15 stones are used to arrange a garden plot in a Japanese style. The addition of coniferous vegetation or a well-groomed lawn is welcome. If possible, the Japanese garden is decorated with a stone bridge or sculpture. The shape for the site is traditionally chosen to be rectangular or square; it is desirable that there are no buildings nearby.

Arrangement of stones

Designing a Japanese garden at your dacha begins with preparing the site.

Advice! A film placed on the soil will help make caring for the relaxation area easier. This will prevent weeds from growing.

A stone composition is usually formed from an odd number of elements, most often stopping at three copies. The basic rule for placing stones is to form a triangular shape with their vertices. When placing boulders in a Japanese garden, adhere to the following recommendations:

After the final distribution of the elements of the Japanese garden, they move on to arranging the space between the stones.

Design of patterns

The choice of material and its shade for decorating the surface between the boulders depends on the characteristics of the dacha site. Abundance light colors in sunny areas it can be unpleasantly blinding to the eyes, so it is better to give preference to dark gravel. On the contrary, shaded corners are covered with light sand or pebbles.

Lines on the surface have different symbolic meanings. Curvilinear patterns imitate stormy streams, straight furrows are a symbol of calm water, the circle around the stones is nothing more than waves washing the island.

Like the location of the stones, it is better to draw the pattern between them in advance in the plan of the Japanese garden. It is applied with a rake equipped with special attachments.

Paths

The tracks are integral element Japanese garden. Various materials are used for their arrangement:

flat stones;
concrete tiles;
less often - tree cuts or bricks.

The installation method deserves attention; there are also several rules here:

No sharp corners or straight lines. Winding paths around stones - ideal option for the Japanese garden.
The material is laid at intervals; a solid mass is not recommended. Moreover, the size of the seams is different, identical intervals are avoided.
It is necessary to ensure that the four lines do not form a connection at one point.

If the paths in a Japanese garden are made of large stones, you can plant lawn grass between them. The elements are installed in such a way that all irregularities are buried in the soil. The outer surface must be flat, otherwise, instead of deep thoughts, you will have to monitor the safety of movement.

Stones, patterns between them and paths - key elements Japanese garden. If desired, it can be supplemented with a statue or a bridge, it all depends on the preferences of the owner of the dacha.