Yen Gardens - Simple Ideas In Creating Japanese Tradition

Yen Gardens represent so much of the Japanese Heritage. There are various different structures making up this wonderful Japanese landscape. The essence of of the garden is a true sense of the union between the mind and nature. Bringing oneself back to natural surroundings by the use of rocks, boulders, bridges, pathways, water features, lanterns and fountains. You can create your own Yen garden using any of these materials.

One of my personal goals in the future is to visit a variety of different style Japanese gardens. In a small yard about seven years ago, I came into my first contact with a front yard done in different boulder formations. A small elderly Japanese woman taught me my first true lesson in understanding this wonderful natural beauty. Her shrubs were all evergreens and done in topiary form. She also showed me the correct way to prune and shape a topiary shrub. I would like to touch base with you on some simple steps in doing a Yen garden. You can combine all the features or take a couple and create your own Japanese paradise.

Instead of showing you pictures of eloquent Japanese gardens, I would like to show you different aspects of creating your own. One can develop this garden on any type of terrain. Doing a garden on a hillside or a flat area of land. The Japanese strive on asymmetrical design. The two main ingredients are earth and water.

Water can be created by a waterfall, decorative pond, or a stream. Read about a simple way to install your Yen ponds and water gardens. Take any size fountain or water feature and build the garden around plants and rocks. Your area doesn't have to be large. Rocks and boulders are used often in a triangle form. Think of the largest rock being at the point and a couple of smaller rocks at the ends to support the tall boulder. Any size rocks can be used to give the appearance of the triangle. Take a look at these pictures below and see some different shapes and also how the boulders balance each other. These are definitely bigger then you would use but I wanted you to see the different shapes.

Combining the ideas of rocks and water will give you the basis of developing your yen garden. This does not have to be expensive. Another idea to think about is making a small stream and build a bridge over it. Of course you could build or purchase a wooden bridge, but an easier way is taking a large slab of rock. Support the slab with different size smaller rocks. The support rocks will be installed on all four ends underneath to balance the slab.

Another style possible is doing dry beds in the garden. The Japanese are famous for creating beds with small decorative rocks surrounding a variety of plant specimens. Winding walkways can be installed. These walkways can be created with stepping stones or all one to three inch pebbles or stones. White and off white, and colored stones are all options in the pathways. The border of the bed or beds can be larger rocks or you can incorporated the boulders throughout the bed. We can't forget one of the most aspects of any style gardens, plant specimens. The Japanese gardens have a wide variety of evergreen and ornamental trees and shrubs. This can be done in topiary or natural form. The evergreen tree or shrubs creates a wonderful contrast in color and texture with a Japanese Maple.

There are many other trees, shrubs, flowers, water plants, and ground covers that can be blended throughout the garden.Below is a small list of some of the most popular.

Other features to consider are fences made out of bamboo. Decorative lanterns are used a lot throughout the garden and are wonderful for an evening stroll. Another main feature is fish, and especially the Koi fish. I touched base about the Koi in the pond article. Here are a couple of pictures of Koi fish in a Japanese pond.

This garden project is possible for anyone to do. You can use your imagination and create your very own small or large Yen garden. The most important thing to realize about Japanese gardens, is to entail the two aspects of nature and the spiritual mind. Here is a full picture of a beautiful Japanese pond garden with the slab bridge, lantern, fish, and shrubs and Japanese Maple.

I hope this has enlighten you a little on just a few simple ideas and philosophies of the beautiful Yen garden. If you have any questions on how to install any of these features, feel free to contact me and I would be happy to offer you some assistance.