Traditional Japanese Garden Styles

Traditional styles of Japanese gardens include thegarden has an entry gate and a stone path which
pond and island style, the dry landscape Zen garden,leads to the inner garden. Visitors pass through a
the Japanese tea garden, a stroll garden, and asecond gate where there is a water basin which is
courtyard garden.used in the ceremony. There is another stone path
A pond and island style garden is where a pond isthat goes through the inner garden and the plants
created that is large enough for a boat or where athere are not flowered to prevent any distractions
visitor can walk around the border of the pond. Allalong the journey. This path leads to the building
the plants, rocks, and other features can be seenwhere the tea ceremony will be performed.
from the pond area. The plants and backgroundA Japanese stroll garden is a garden that is to be
elements are placed so that they blend into theviewed while you walk around the garden. Paths will
natural landscape beyond the garden. There will belead the visitor through twists and turns which will
small islands with small bridges which span from thereveal something new to view. These gardens usually
shoreline to one or more of the islands and then backfocus on a theme of some landscape found in nature
to shore again on a different side.and are recreated in miniature within the garden. An
Zen gardens were primarily used by Buddhist monksacre or more of land is needed for one of these
within their temples. These gardens contain large andgardens. They will sometimes contain a tea garden
small rocks, gravel or sand, and occasionally someand a pond.
moss or a few trees or shrubs. The carefullyA courtyard garden is perfect for a small yard with a
positioned rocks symbolize islands. The raked gravelwooden fence or a stone or brick wall. This is a
or sand symbolizes water.simple design style that is usually built to be observed
Japanese tea gardens are a type of garden where ainside the home. These usually consist of a small
tea ceremony can be performed. These gardenswater feature, sometimes a dry stream, a few
consist of an outer and inner garden. This is one ofplants, or maybe a tree.
the more popular gardens to create. The outer