| As westerners, we are often compelled to try to | | | | one small area to feature a Zen garden? Is a |
| control and plan all design aspects of what we want | | | | stepping-stone pathway that leads to a gate |
| when constructing something. We try to anticipate | | | | appealing? |
| every little detail so we don't make a mistake. | | | | 6) Will you be building this garden by yourself or will |
| Although you will still need to organize and draw out | | | | you have help? The size, design and amount of work |
| your Japanese garden design, plus determine the | | | | to create your Japanese garden will affect this |
| shape of your landscape and what you desire for | | | | answer. Obviously, building a very large stroll garden |
| your garden, you should also allow yourself to "go | | | | by yourself would take forever and be impractical. |
| with the flow" and let it "speak to you" as your | | | | 7) If you plan to use large boulders or plant more |
| garden takes shape. In other words, allow for | | | | mature trees (rather than saplings), how will you get |
| improvisation and ideas to emerge rather than being | | | | them into your garden? Is there room and access for |
| rigid in sticking to your original design plan. | | | | large machinery to help with placement? Keep in mind |
| Before any work begins within the yard itself, a basic | | | | boulders and large trees are extremely heavy. |
| garden plan should be drawn up to help you | | | | 8) Will your garden be formal, semi-formal, or informal |
| formulate your ideas and the placement of elements. | | | | (rustic)? |
| There are several questions you need to address to | | | | 9) Many Japanese gardens are actually built around a |
| help with this process: | | | | theme. Do you have a theme in mind for your |
| 1) Do you already have an existing garden in the area | | | | garden? An example of a theme would be a |
| where you wish to incorporate a Japanese garden | | | | miniaturized version of "The Bridge To Heaven", |
| style? If so, what type of garden is it (flower | | | | which is a marble and stone bridge that spans the |
| garden, English garden, rustic wildflower garden, etc.)? | | | | famous Dragon Beard Ditch in China. This bridge was |
| 2) Will you be able to integrate your current garden | | | | built over 600 years ago to allow the Ming and Qing |
| into the new Japanese garden plan? What aspects | | | | emperors to cross over on their way to the Temple |
| and features will remain and what will have to be | | | | of Heaven. Your theme could even revolve around a |
| moved, replaced or removed entirely? | | | | smaller replica or area of an original famous garden of |
| 3) What style of Japanese garden are you most | | | | Japan. Read books and view photographs of existing |
| interested in - tea garden, courtyard garden, stroll | | | | gardens to get some ideas. |
| garden, pond and island garden, Zen rock garden or a | | | | 10) What do you want to achieve with your garden? |
| combination of two or more? For very small areas, | | | | Will it be used primarily for meditation? Do you wish |
| you will most likely stick to only one style. For those | | | | to incorporate a strolling pathway with new visual |
| that have a large landscape, you can have your | | | | delights beyond each curve? Do you want the |
| choice of any of the styles to suit your desires and | | | | invigorating sounds of water, such as a waterfall or |
| landscape area. | | | | fast moving stream? Will it be a place to sit quietly |
| 4) How large is the area of the site that you are | | | | and contemplate nature? Understanding the concept |
| considering using? Does it have natural hills and | | | | behind the garden design is important. |
| valleys? Are there any elements, such a stream, | | | | In conclusion, these types of questions should be |
| already present? Take a good visual view of your | | | | contemplated carefully and answered thoroughly |
| selected site and note down all the details on paper. | | | | before you begin to put your design down on paper, |
| Take measurements as well, so you know the exact | | | | otherwise you could end up with a garden that holds |
| area size you will be working with. | | | | no meaning for you or your visitors. A Japanese |
| 5) What elements and features are important to | | | | garden should have a "reason for being." What are |
| you? For example, do you wish to add a waterfall, | | | | your reasons? |
| water basin, or a rock arrangement? Would you like | | | | |