Thinking for a place where you can enjoy peacefully and satisfy your needs accordingly, so here we can think about a garden where one can sit calm down and can feel nature, its wind and greenery. But before you go anywhere in search of a garden why don’t you get your own garden near your home or else in your home! You can make as per your wish which can please you. Such gardens are known to be Zen gardens. The way you can create your own imaginary ideas and fix up with the entire pleasant feelings surrounding you, would help you feel better as opposed to regular days. Making Zen garden can give space where you can meditate in your own yard.
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As the gardeners who are well known about its arrangement, constancy and stability prefer for the colors theory, colors like blue-green lavender which gives cool effect and gives serenity to your backyard. Gardeners who look up to nature representatively are a good contender for building such gardens. Those who are low lovers of maintaining landscaping – would think long about such a type of garden. But, many are well-known for their nature and showy plants. Growing plants are tantamount with gardening for many people. In this garden most of the style can be applied to grow glitzy plants and may disqualify many who don’t love such a garden, immediately. Now you would wonder about how to make such an admiring place in your home or what the tools and things would be required making such a garden? But, before that let us know what does it actually mean!
What is a Zen garden?
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The idea of this garden originated in Japan. As we all know that Japan is a mountainous place, as it has been jutting out of the ocean for many years. The people living over there appreciate and thanks to the nature they have got, as living in nature makes everyone feel good and pleasant. Thus the people living in other places can’t relate much with nature, to connect with nature and enjoy its pleasure, Zen garden was innovated.
The idea was originated and applied first by Buddhist monks; one can say that this garden is a miniature landscape as it makes connection directly with nature. To add naturalistic taste in such gardens, they used white gravel which represents the ocean waves, rocks and sand combination make one feel like he / she is sitting on the beach, plants and greeneries gave the essence of the forest nearby.
You can turn this garden in anyway whether you can make it appear like a beach or island or something else whatever you need. Because of their stark, abstract nature, and artistic quality one can make this garden whatever he wants, all you have to do is bring some materials and design their positions and placements precisely to come out with a proper outcome.
If you don’t have enough space then try mini Zen gardens, you can say it as a beta version.
Tools and materials
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- Shovel
- Tape measure
- Hoe
- Tamper
- Edging stone
- White gravel
- Landscaping fabric
- Back brace
- String level
- Varieties of rocks
- Wooden Zen rake / Steel garden rake
These all things are easily available on hardware stores and many of the things can be deprived directly from nature likewise rocks, white gravel, sand, etc.
Constructing a Zen garden
Measurement
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Go to your yard and take measurements of your place, after that decide and plan the area you need for constructing your garden. Though make a perfect measured plan and decide the area and positions of everything which you are going to place in your garden.
Rocks and sand
After done with the measurement, now think of the material you need as a base in your garden. You can even make a Zen sand garden by just using sand as a base, you can make a Zen rock garden by using rocks as a base or you can make a Zen rock – sand garden by using the combination of both. By my side the best option is combination, as making just with rocks will skip the factor of safety and making just with sand will make the environment muddy whenever it will rain. Both the things are available in nature and can be deprived easily. Moreover rock and sand are the heart of a Zen garden.
Bring on some varieties of rocks and sand, the first step you need to take is to make your surface even and equal there should not be ups and downs, this can be done easily with the help of a wooden Zen rake or steel Zen rake, now pour sand on every part and make a proper surface, you can even built up a hill, now add rocks wherever you need them.
Add plants and paths
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Plants give a naturalistic effect and a pleasant feeling; moreover you can think of gardening in your garden, add plants and herbs wherever you want, try to keep them in a proper and well planned manner to come up with the best outcome.
Path planning must be done precisely so that one can easily reach every part of the garden while maintaining, and make sure that path and plants do not mix match with each other, you can even try to plant plants and herbs at the sides of the paths it is on you how precisely you make Zen garden designs.
Bed of grass (moss)
With comparison to rock and sand, moss is also an important component, it is a Japanese plant which is used mostly in such gardens, they are nothing but a cover of ground having less soil quality than grass, they grow faster than plants and flowers, one can remove it very easily without using any instrument. As per your need you can add a bed of grass also, but for that you need a better soil and better instruments to maintain it.
Bamboo / Japanese rock path
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Adding components like bamboo would add more essence regarding nature, also if you have a water connection in your garden, you can use bamboos instead of pipes, thus supply water in bamboos and place those bamboos by making a connecting channel with every part of the garden. You can even plant bamboo trees if you like it.
Japanese rock path is like a watermark while constructing a Zen garden, as the idea of this garden came from Japan people use to make a rock path instead of a normal path, if you have couples of such rocks then go on constructing a rock path it will add a classic look and elegance to your garden.
Color and style / Planting pillars
To make your garden look elegant and beautiful! All you need is some lighting and colorful flower herbs, as adding flowers of different colors would make your garden look colorful, lighting nowadays is used for achieving a fashionable and stylish look, all you need to do is put some led lights on herbs, plants, and on paths too, if you have some water bodies in your garden then do not forget to apply lighting over there as it makes a good match.
You might have heard about the planting pillars, if not then let me tell you, these are the pillars containing plants inside them or you can make pillars as a base and can grow plants above them, this would add a good accent to your garden as nowadays it is in trend. You can use lighting to decorate pillars. One can even use those pillars in a precise manner and can make a stage like space in the garden itself.
Low water Zen garden
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As we discussed that we can make our garden appear as we want, if you are much connected with water and you have enough big space then try lo water Zen garden. All you need to do is take out some space from your plan and make a pond like construction; you can even build a swimming pool.
Benches and stools
When you are done with rocks, sand, grass cover, pathways, planting, and other activities, the last step is to make some chairs and tables with the help of varieties of rocks, where one can sit, relax, and can enjoy some snacks with the environment.
Now your garden is ready to use, you can have a walk if you are feeling bored, you can do yoga and exercise, you can even keep some family functions, and much more. This garden will make direct contact with nature and you, which will give you a pleasant and refreshing feeling after a boring or frustrated day. For knowing more about Zen garden designs, have a look in The Architecture Designs!
