| The style of garden generally referred to as a | | | | be designed for several viewing styles including from |
| "Japanese Garden" is a garden based on the | | | | a boat, porch or veranda and for walking through and |
| traditional Japanese style gardens of ancient Japan. | | | | exploring. |
| Tracing its origins back to the Buddhist temples and | | | | A famous style of garden that most people may be |
| Shinto shrines, Japanese gardens can now be found | | | | familiar with is the karesansui or "dry landscape |
| in many backyards, public parks, schools and retreats | | | | garden. This garden originates from the Zen temples |
| around the world. The most common style of garden | | | | of Japan, most recognizable for their lack of water |
| found around the world as well as in Japan is the | | | | and few plants. The feeling of water is achieved |
| famous dry or rock gardens which are gardens that | | | | through the use of pebbles and raked gravel instead |
| contain very little in the way of vegetation | | | | of water. Perhaps the most famous example of a |
| traditionally called Karesansui. | | | | karesansui garden is the Ryoan-ji temple in Kyoto. |
| The tradition of the Japanese tea ceremony and the | | | | Plants in Japanese gardens consist mostly of |
| beliefs of tea masters have encouraged the creation | | | | bamboos and evergreens such as Black Pine and the |
| of Japanese gardens of a completely different style. | | | | famous bright leaved deciduous Maples trees. In |
| The tea masters have a trademark styles that | | | | cooler climates ferns and mosses can be used as |
| evokes of a sense of rural simplicity as well as | | | | ground covers and thrive in the moist conditions. |
| tranquility and consolidation. | | | | Ideally a Japanese garden should provide the visitor |
| One thing that is common throughout all Japanese | | | | with a wholesome environment that allows them to |
| gardens is the presence of water containing an island | | | | see beauty, relax and find inspiration. One of the |
| with a bridge to it, a stone lantern and a teahouse or | | | | greatest cultural practices to make itself into the |
| sitting pavilion. The elements aren't necessarily real | | | | western world the Japanese garden is truly a thing of |
| they can be of a symbolic nature. Gardens can also | | | | beauty. |