Zen Gardens – Planting Schemes
Since the sixth century, Buddhist monks have been creating zen gardens. These gardens are designed to aid meditation as they are designed to create feelings of calm and inner peace. In our busy world, aspects of zen gardens are being incorporated into many garden designs.
What is a Zen Garden?
A zen garden can be created using gravel or sand, which is often raked to create shapes or designs. The act of raking is meant to instil a sense of inner calm and peace, as well as creating an aesthetically pleasing area. Traditionally, the sand is raked in a design that is meant to symbolise waves in the sea.
Stones are then placed on top of the sand or gravel. These stones are meant to symbolise trees (if placed upright or vertically), water (if laid flat) or fire (if they are arching). These stones are designed to represent the four elements throughout your space; earth is represented by the stones themselves.
A Zen garden may also contain a focal point – this could be a simple wooden bridge or path, or a decorative feature made from stone. This is designed to aid meditation – the meditator can focus their line of site on this object.
Zen gardens are designed to be quiet – and should not contain any plants that may attract birds or insects, and no running water.
While you may not wish to convert your whole garden into a zen garden, some of these ideas could be incorporated. You may wish to install several rocks in formations or create a focal point in an emptier area to really allow this to stand out and draw attention. You may also create a separate area, which is a ‘mini’ Zen garden. This space should allow you to feel a sense of calm and enjoyment, adding a self-care based, holistic aspect to your garden.
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