Traditionally called a Karesansui Garden, Japanese Zen Gardens are places to reflect, meditate, pray or find peace in the midst of the hectic pace of life. These gardens can be large or small and while they are traditionally found in Japan, their popularity has spread to the western world.

What Is A Zen Garden?

The most basic explanation of a Zen Garden would be to call it a Japanese Rock Garden. All Zen Gardens that are descended from Karesansui Gardens include sand, gravel and rocks. Some also contain grasses or other plant life, but that is not a requirement for a Zen Garden.

The rocks in a Zen Garden usually represent mountains and the sand represents water. It is often raked in special patterns to give it a rippling effect. Most of these gardens are situated with some kind of seating that allows the visitor to enjoy a specific perspective of the garden.

The History Of The Zen Garden

American writer, Loraine Kuck is given credit for coining the phrase Zen Gardens.  In 1935, she used the term to describe Karenansui Gardens, in a book she was writing. The term caught on and now has come to be used for almost any Japanese themed garden that contains rocks. There are even desk sized Zen Gardens developed to calm workers during their busy times.

The actual planting of Zen Gardens in Japan dates back thousands of years to a time when they were planted as places of meditation in ancient temples. These gardens usually contain a very specific number of rocks arranged in patterns that are conducive to meditation. Visitors to these gardens were told to find the subliminal arrangements of the rocks by using their inner mind and legend said that when you reach a complete state of meditation, you would see rocks that only exist in your mind’s eye.

Planting Your Own Zen Garden

You can enjoy your own Zen Garden by setting aside and area in your own yard to build one, or incorporating sand and rocks into your own landscaping. The main thing to keep in mind as you design it is that you want to create an area where you will feel peaceful enough to quietly reflect on life and find the inner strength to carry you through your daily tasks. You can even build your garden by placing sand in large planters, setting rocks strategically on the sand and planting a few wild grasses within the planter.

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