| When you hear the term "Zen Garden" the picture | | | | viewed from the right position, created the image of |
| conjured up is of a dry landscape with rocks | | | | a tree in the subconscious mind. |
| surrounded by carefully raked gravel which invites | | | | Not all Zen gardens are restricted to dry stones and |
| you to withdraw from the noise of the world outside | | | | gravel, but often include plants and mosses as well as |
| and to enter into silent meditation. Some say that | | | | shrine lanterns, bridges and water features. A Zen |
| zen priests adopted the dry landscape style in the | | | | garden should be equally attractive and inviting |
| eleventh century as an aid to create a deeper | | | | throughout the year, which is why evergreens play |
| understanding of the zen concepts, but others hold | | | | such an important role in their design. Black pines and |
| that the Japanese Zen Garden is a myth. They claim | | | | bamboo, moss and other evergreen ground covers |
| that it is a late 20th Century western creation that | | | | provide seasonal continuity which is always green and |
| has nothing to do with the Japanese Garden Tradition | | | | alive. |
| and that the dry garden style is not unique to zen | | | | Construction of a Zen garden starts with the |
| temples but can be found associated with many | | | | selection of suitable rocks. It is important that you |
| other buildings. | | | | find rocks in shapes that appeal to you since these |
| Whatever your view it is undeniable that there is | | | | will form the backbone of the design. It may take |
| something rather special about this dry landscape | | | | some time for you to find the right stones and |
| style which is generally known as a Zen garden. The | | | | gravels to blend together to form a harmonious |
| main elements consist of rocks representing | | | | picture, but taking time and making careful choices is |
| mountains or islands surrounded by flowing water in | | | | an important part of transforming simple gardening |
| the form of sand or gravel. | | | | into an act of "meditation". |
| Recently scientists used computer analysis to study | | | | Zen gardening means that design, construction, |
| one of the most famous Zen gardens in the world, | | | | planting and cultivation is all part of the garden itself. |
| at the Ryoanji Temple in Kyoto, to discover why it | | | | A Zen garden is a continuing process in which the |
| has a calming effect on the hundreds of thousands | | | | creation and maintenance of the design is as much a |
| of visitors who come every year. The researchers | | | | part of the meditation as contemplation of the |
| found that the seemingly random collection of rocks | | | | completed garden. |
| and moss on this simple gravel rectangle, when | | | | |