Elements of a Japanese Garden

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Figure A

Figure B

Figure C

The art of creating a Japanese garden involves combining key natural elements — water, stone and plants — to create wa kei sei jaku, which means harmony, reverence, purity and tranquility.

Water

The pond-garden tradition dates back more than 1,000 years ago to nobles who built their palaces with corridors surrounding a pond. The pond is the kokoro, or soul or heart, of the garden (figure A). "Water is considered the blood and the heart of the garden, so the garden radiates out from and around the pond," says Jack Tomlinson, head gardener at Hakone Gardens in Saratoga, Calif.

Because Japan is an island itself, garden designers began incorporating tortoise islands (figure B). In ancient myths, a tortoise island represents an island of immortality on which immortal people lived.

Acting as the veins and arteries of the pond, the waterfalls come in two types. With the first type, water cascades like the waterfalls on Mount Fuji (figure C), while with the other, the water gently and quietly trickles like the waterfalls found in Kyoto (figure D).

The stream's hustle and bustle is diverted and manipulated by the placement of stones in the water, giving the stream a more interesting and natural look (figure E).

Figure D

Figure E

Figure F

Figure G

"Conceal and reveal" method with plants

Carefully placed plants like Japanese maples hang over the water's edge, slightly masking it (figure F). In Japanese gardening, this is the "conceal and reveal" method.

"The subtlety of the branches screening the waterfall gives more depth to the picture," says Tomlinson. It is said that the "conceal and reveal" method is intended to enlighten and revive one's spirit. Here, pruned evergreens such as Hinoki cypress and Japanese black pine take part in the spiritual journey. To balance out their harsh textures, fragrant and flowering plants, such as azaleas, aucubas and camellias, add gentle beauty, color and softness.

Stone

Thoughtful selection of the proper stones to use is just as important as their locations within the Japanese garden (figure G). "When you create a Japanese garden, the first thing that you do is create its hills, or rolling landscape, and then place your stone work. Planting actually comes last," Tomlinson says.

Stones of all shapes and sizes are arranged in harmonious combinations to create energy called chi. Tomlinson offers these tips for perfect placement:

Place the stones in odd-numbered arrangements, such as in groupings of three, five and seven.

Find a special location for each stone (figure H). For instance, when constructing a garden bridge, set stones on the corners of the bridge to anchor the structure (figure I).

Figure H

Figure I

Figure J

Figure K

Use stonework to create walls or edging or to indicate a pathway. When working with stepping stones, treat each stone with respect (figure J). According to Japanese legend, stones are actual beings with spirits.

Karensansui is another type of Japanese garden that uses stones in a different way. In Japanese, karensansui means "dry garden." As the name suggests, there's no water. However, in a Japanese garden, the presence of water is always somehow implied.

In this dry garden (figure K), water is replaced with gravel which is then raked to demonstrate the motion of water.

Guests
Jack Tomlinson
Head gardener
Hakone Gardens
Saratoga, CA
www.hakone.com/
Also in this Episode

Gardening by the Yard : Episode GBY-1605
•	Going "Green" in the Garden
•	Elements of a Japanese Garden
•	Stone Seating
•	Alternatives to Cypress Mulch

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