A piece of the Land of the Rising Sun. We create a Japanese-style garden. Different types of Japanese garden: rules for creating style Japanese decorative garden

There is something innate, deep, soothing in Asian style with oriental overtones, in Japanese design, and architecture in particular. Perhaps it is the influence of the philosophical worldview towards life, which has shaped the design principles for several centuries; or it can be a combination with a life image that is closely related to nature and relief, offering them a unique insight into every aspect of existence.

(from MARPA Design Studio)

Either way, the fusion of all these factors has shaped Japanese culture, aesthetic and natural, pleasing forms that the West has generously borrowed in the last century. The best gardens in the world it is this people who have another wonderful gift, especially when you consider that many modern houses have a calm and serene atmosphere.

Here's where you can get some inspiration that will (hopefully) help you add a compact yet vibrant garden to your property. Each design has a unique combination of elements that in turn show a unique difference. Enjoy!

(from Richard Kramer)

(from Gaile Guevara)

Miniature landscapes with centuries-old traditions

(from New Eco: Urban Landscape Design)

Initially, Japanese parks borrowed from Chinese models, and this continued for several centuries. They developed their unique flavor and features only after a long time, and now all this is an integral and most important part. Mostly they are all small, but they have a grandiose garden landscaping.

(from Grace Design Associates)

No one will understand a Japanese garden until they pass through it and hear a crunch underfoot, smell it, and you will only gain experience years later. Now there is no perfect photo or video to give you complete knowledge as it is more than just visual brilliance.

(from Debra Prizing)

(from Angelina Landscape)

(from SRM Architecture and Interiors)

(from Charles McClure)

Aesthetic excellence in naturalness

Balance, balance and a sense of natural beauty that is not forced, not contrived - this is the essence of the design of the land of the rising sun. By creating a lively and invigorating hub in the center of your home, an open interior will take on a completely new meaning, and while walking there, you can immerse yourself in your thoughts, and maybe even make an important decision.

One of the main things is symmetry, which must not be forgotten. This is a carefully planned feature that will make the place more inviting and inviting.

(from Kikuchi & Associates)

Japanese gardens derive their beauty from mixing and mixing different elements in a symbolic and natural manner, creating a welcoming environment. Stones, sand, water, bamboo, trees, flowers and even bridges are precisely positioned to create an exceptional sense of organic asymmetry.

(from Garden Mentors)

(from Garden Architecture)

Balance of symbolic elements

(from Eco Minded Solutions)

The most seductive aspects of them are those elements that have a certain meaning. Water is one of the main components, it can still be small ponds, decorative pool, running streams and even cascades; you can also include any functions you need in them.

Water and stone are Yin-Yang, therefore, they balance each other and their location should be appropriate. For those who are not delighted with its consumption, sand can be a substitute, since they have similarities, and in the Japanese context it represents clouds.

(from HartmanBaldwin Design)

The rocks are just as important. But their meaning depends on how they are placed and what they consist of. They can even be high, washed by water. Water lily ponds, stone lanterns, garden bridges and washbasins are all components to create the perfect landscape.

Designing and creating a Japanese garden is a challenge for a creative home owner, or for a specialist who knows the craft. With the right imagination and technique, you can truly recreate a piece of paradise draped with greenery.

(from Huettl Landscape Architecture)

The dacha is not only a place where fruits and vegetables are grown, but also an opportunity to escape from problems, to communicate with nature. Therefore, most summer residents are trying to create all kinds of recreation areas on their plots.

A Japanese garden can become a stylish and unusual place to relax. It does not require a lot of space, 5-7 m2 is enough. Armed with the information on how to design a Japanese-style garden with your own hands and with a little effort, you can get a magical corner of relaxation and recreation.

Distinctive features of Japanese landscape design

The style of the oriental garden is determined by the nature of the state of Japan, more than half of which is occupied by mountainous territories. The landscapes are dominated by rocks, mountain streams, lakes, and the seashore. The elements of water, stone and plants prevail here.

Therefore, Japan is characterized by a muted color scheme of gray-brown and greenish tones. Floral elements complement the picture, this is the philosophical principle of non-interference with nature. Nature itself is beautiful and harmonious. She needs no decoration.

The area of ​​the Japanese Green Corner is usually small, but all the elements are carefully thought out. Photo example:

Basics of site planning

Depending on the terrain, the layout of the garden is of two types:

1. flat (suitable for a small area);
2. hilly.

For the Japanese style, elements of water and stone are required. Water is a pond, a stream, a fountain, it all depends on your financial capabilities. The stones represent mountains, there can be from one to a dozen of them, if the territory allows.

Much attention is paid to paths, bridges and gazebos. Plants in such a garden are not the main component. Therefore, they should not be too pompous. Moss and monochrome low flowers, weeping trees, modest green shrubs - these are its characteristic inhabitants.

Basic techniques for creating a Japanese garden look

You should adhere to certain rules that will achieve the best result:

• The design doesn't have to be symmetrical.
• Each component of the garden is thought out in advance and harmoniously fits into the composition.
• Elements are selected in dull shades, of the correct shape, if these are stones, then they are rounded. Such components are designed to calm and relax a person.
• Unoccupied land in Japanese classical gardens is covered with gravel or compacted. It is not forbidden to plant lawn grass. Green glades are small.
• Garden elements are placed at a certain distance from each other. There is no need to plant a large number of plants and set a lot of stones.

DIY Japanese garden design step by step

1. We draw up a project. It will depend on the area of ​​the site: flat or hilly. It is easier to set up a garden on a flat area. Hilly - more like a Japanese landscape.
2. We pay attention to the tracks, their configuration and the material from which they will be made. Paths made of flat stones will look more organic.
3. We select stones. They should match in color, not have sharp corners and chips. The stones are placed in the center of the garden, avoiding piling up one on top of the other. The distance between them is planted with grass or moss, or sprinkled with gravel.
4. We select vegetation taking into account the Russian climate. It is not necessary to clutter up the garden with large trees and shrubs, especially if its territory is small. Ground covers and low bushes or small conifers are suitable. Of the large trees, you can plant one, but textured, bright and long-lasting blooming.
5. We plan auxiliary components: a stream, a fountain, a pond, a gazebo or a bridge.
6. We think over the lighting. Lanterns can be either high, up to 2 m, or hidden in the bushes.
7. A crucial step in the design of a Japanese garden is the choice of plants. They must be cold-resistant and match the Japanese style.

Selection of plants for Japanese design

Vegetation is chosen based on the fact that it is decorative in the Japanese classical garden all year round. In cold climates, there are few evergreens. Therefore, given the frosty winters, the following trees and shrubs are planted in our Japanese gardens:

• pine, which lends itself to shaping at the request of the gardener;
• felt cherry;
• maple;
• tree peony;
• frost-resistant rhododendron;
• different varieties of barberry and hawthorn;
• cold-resistant spireas;
• winter-hardy ground covers;
• ferns;
• perennial flowers.

The main thing is not to allow pretentiousness. The garden should look simple and concise. If you follow the basic rules, then you will have an amazing place for solitude and distraction from everyday worries.

It is best to get acquainted with classic Japanese gardens, of course, in the Land of the Rising Sun itself. Let's first look at a couple of typical examples, made albeit in different eras, but in traditional Japanese styles.

Classic pattern

The rock garden of the Reanji Temple, located on the territory of a monastery in the city of Kyoto, is one of the most amazing and mysterious examples of Japanese gardening. It is believed that it was created in the 15th century by the then famous master - Zen Buddhist Soami. This is a place for meditation, designed to create a special inner mood in a person. The garden is made in the so-called dry landscape technique (karesansui) and is a rectangular area about 23 by 9 m in size, covered with white gravel. There are 15 stones on it, forming five independent groups. In shape, each of them is most similar to a versatile triangle. The concept of the garden was based on the ideas of Zen Buddhism, mainly wabi (asceticism, no excesses). An atmosphere of unobtrusive simplicity and peace reigns here, full of mysterious understatement that lies in the depths of all things and allows everyone to find something of their own in it.

To this day, Zen Buddhists come to this temple for meditation. The garden is contemplated only from the terrace of the abbot's house - you cannot go downstairs. Only a monk is allowed to walk on the gravel, who regularly renews the strips on the gravel with a rake and removes the leaves of the trees brought here. Contemplation of stones helps to concentrate, find calmness and delve into oneself, and their outlines give rise to everyone's own associations.

Source of inspiration

The gardens of the Tofuku-ji Buddhist temple complex in Kyoto are obscenely young by Japanese standards: they were created in 1939 by the outstanding Japanese garden designer Mirai Shigemori (1896-1975).

It is interesting

Four different gardens appear in front of the viewer one after another as they move along the wooden gallery around the temple.

South - consists of four stone groups, symbolizing the islands of bliss, located in a sea of ​​gravel. Stones of various sizes - lying on their sides, flat and set vertically in the form of sharp peaks - create the feeling of motion frozen for a moment. On the right side of this garden are five gentle hills covered with green moss, symbolizing the main Zen monasteries of Kyoto. They are like a promised land in the harsh sea of ​​everyday storms, the promise of peace in the black and white reality of everyday life. Moreover, in the spring these hills are not green, but red. The expression of the garden is overwhelming, it seems to pulsate with energy.

Eastern Garden - seven cylindrical gray stones of different heights, placed like stars in the constellation Ursa Major. They were originally used as foundation blocks in various temple buildings.

The western garden consists of azalea bushes clipped in the form of rectangular parallelepipeds, placed on a gravel bed. Squares of greenery and gravel alternate like cells on a chessboard.

But the Northern Garden is especially good. This is a rectangular area, on which moss and stone tiles are interspersed in the same checkerboard pattern, and at the edges are planted low shrubs of small-leaved azalea trimmed with hemispheres. The boundaries of the stone squares gradually blur into the moss, which closes more and more tightly and gradually absorbs them.

The minimalism of Tofuku-ji gardens is amazing. Each of their elements is imbued with deep symbolism and philosophy, but even for a person who is absolutely far from all this, they create a feeling of harmony and absolute peace. Nothing but rocks, gravel, moss, and bushes. So simple - and so expressive!

Principles

If you are so interested in Japanese gardens that you are even thinking about creating your own Japanese corner on a garden plot, then you need to familiarize yourself with the basic ideas and principles that are guided by the masters of the Land of the Rising Sun.

The Japanese worldview is unique: the inhabitants of this country are characterized by the ability to enjoy the variability of nature and the immutability of the world. Japanese seasonal traditions are widely known: admiring the first snow, which is considered not only a symbol of the cold season, but also a premonition of new life, the moon, symbolizing the eternity of the world, flowers in their endless transformation - sakuras, azaleas, Japanese irises, peonies, chrysanthemums.

That is why the Japanese garden is an ambiguous, collective concept that unites various styles and philosophical trends. Perhaps the most famous are three of them - a garden for a tea ceremony, for meditation and for walks. They differ significantly in size: they are both tiny and spread over an area of ​​tens of hectares. And, therefore, having decided to create a Japanese corner, you can always choose an option that is ideal for your site.

Typically, a Japanese garden contains the following basic elements: stone, water, and plants.

One of the classic Japanese gardens with a pond has its own name - "the garden of the hill and pond." On can be both large and small, but in its center there is always a pond with an island connected to the land by a bridge.

There are usually few plants in a Japanese garden (and sometimes none at all). They should harmoniously fit into the composition, and, in addition, they can serve as a natural separator between the Japanese corner and its surroundings. For this purpose, you can plant large plants around the perimeter or outside the fence.

In large gardens for walking (kayushiki-teien), not only walking routes, but also water routes were carefully thought out: while riding a boat, one could enjoy the beauty of landscapes illuminated by the moonlight, and platforms of a simple form were built to contemplate the water surface and changeable reflections, most often square or rectangular.

A corner of Japan in your garden

Heated discussions about whether a Japanese-style garden is appropriate outside of the historical homeland periodically flare up among professionals and among amateur gardeners. Opinions on this issue are very different: from a categorical denial of this venture to its equally furious promotion. As a rule, no arguments can shake the position of supporters of creating such gardens. Except, perhaps, common sense.

It is interesting

Contraindications

Should you arrange a Japanese garden in central Russia? Before you answer this question, you need to think carefully about whether you need it. After all, any garden should first of all suit your family, correspond to its lifestyle.

Warehouse of character and way of life. If on weekends and holidays you usually spend time at the dacha surrounded by many friends and relatives listening to songs and barbecue, then you should not do a Japanese garden - it is not intended for this at all. The ascetic Japanese gazebo is absolutely not suitable for feasts. And the main thing in such a garden is a landscape that serves for passive contemplation. Indeed, the philosophy of the Japanese garden is based on the idea of ​​recreating a natural landscape in miniature, designed to show the power of nature and its divine incorruptibility.

Attitude towards plants. You should also abandon the idea of ​​creating a Japanese-style garden if you are an enthusiastic florist who loves bright colors: he is simply contraindicated for you. The color scheme of Japanese gardens is very restrained, it is dominated by green, "diluted" only with the spring sakura blossom and the bright autumn foliage of maples. There are very few perennials - mainly trees and shrubs. And, therefore, lovers of phlox and roses, as they say, please do not worry. If for a European gardener or designer the main thing in a garden is still plants, it does not matter whether they are clipped for a regular garden or freely growing for a landscape garden, then the Japanese have different priorities. They create a world in miniature, where all the elements of nature are certainly present: stone, water and vegetation. Pay attention - she is in last place.

The ability to provide care. The Japanese garden is very picky about its owner. He must always be in perfect condition. There can be no question of slight neglect or elegant negligence of the landscape garden. So the Japanese corner is not suitable for those who take care of the site from time to time, when there is a free minute and the right mood happens. Although Japanese gardens are minimalistic, they require the utmost care.

Indications

Do you want to have your own Japanese garden, is this style impressed, the language of symbols is understandable and the philosophy underlying it is close? Are you (and other members of your family too) not lazy and at the same time prefer a leisurely meditative pastime, love to observe nature and do not seek to surround yourself with lush flowers of all imaginable and inconceivable shades? Perhaps a Japanese garden is exactly what you need.

If you have firmly decided that you simply need a Japanese corner, first decide on its location on the site. Surely, your house, outbuildings and the fence are made in a completely different style, so the Japanese garden should be a separate composition. It is not worth giving him the entire territory of the garden plot - let it be a special green room that is not striking and from where, in turn, the buildings are not visible. At the same time, a fence that is not suitable in style can be decorated with vines (grapes, maiden or Amur, petiolate hydrangea, woodworm, aristolochia) or closed with ready-made bamboo screens.

Assortment of plants

Due to climatic differences, plants traditionally used in Japanese gardens do not always do well in central Russia.

This primarily concerns the famous Japanese maples. The mesmerizing autumn landscapes of the local gardens owe much of their splendor to them. They are distinguished by a spectacular openwork crown and graceful leaves of various shapes and colors. The most popular of these is the palm-shaped or fan-shaped maple (Acer palmatum). Unfortunately, in our climatic zone, he is uncomfortable: he freezes, grows poorly and requires careful selection of a landing and care site.

Fortunately, as an alternative, you can choose species similar in decorative qualities, but unpretentious and resistant in central Russia - Manchurian maples (A. mandschuricum) and pseudosibolds (A. pseudosieboldianum). They are small trees or large shrubs with carved small leaves that turn orange or purple in autumn.

It is impossible to imagine spring in a Japanese garden without sakura, which, unfortunately, also feels bad even in the Moscow region, not to mention the more northern regions. It can also be replaced, for example, with Sakhalin, Kuril or ordinary cherries. In the end, even decorative or fruit apple and plum trees, as well as hawthorns, will do. Any lush bloom, even if it is not authentic, will be much more interesting than a few flowers that are clearly suffering from our real sakura. In addition, in Japan, the gray spirea, which is resistant to us, is often planted. Its abundant bloom in spring is a fantastic sight.

Among the classic "inhabitants" of the Japanese garden and small-leaved azaleas, sheared in the form of hemispheres. Here it is easier and much cheaper to replace them with Boomald's and Japanese spireas.

On a note

In Japanese gardens, bamboo is often found, which grows rapidly, forming continuous thickets. It is unusually expressive, but it will not survive in every Russian sector. Alternatively, we can plant Sakhalin buckwheat. Tearing off the lower leaves will create the desired illusion. It is only necessary to take into account that it is growing rapidly: subsequently it will have to be tightly controlled.

Are stone lanterns and pagodas needed in a Japanese garden? This is not at all necessary, and it is completely contraindicated to get too carried away with them. But if you really want to "start" them, then do not buy a cheap imitation. A vulgar counterfeit will not make your creation look "Japanese," but it will easily destroy the calm, contemplative atmosphere of the garden.

When planning your own Japanese garden, try, like real creators, not to copy ready-made samples created by recognized masters, but to consider them as a source of inspiration, using only the elements you particularly like, and also applying the principles of placing stones and plants in compositions in practice.

If, having realized all the difficulties, you have only strengthened your desire to create simplicity and harmony multiplied by perfection on your few hundred, do not give up your dream for anything. And may you be lucky!

Variations on a theme

There are Japanese-style gardens in many countries around the world.

One of the most famous in Europe is the Water Garden of the famous impressionist painter Claude Monet in Giverny. Although the painter had never been to Japan, he read a lot about the traditions of this country, its art and philosophy, and his passion for Japanese prints lasted his entire life.
The feeling of the East in his garden is created only by plants and water. There are no characteristic bridges and stone lanterns, but there is a play of light and shadow, fluctuating reflections, subtly changing color of water. Monet subscribed to rare varieties of irises and nymphs from Japan; willows were planted along the banks of the reservoir. “These landscapes, with water and reflections, have become some kind of obsession,” the artist himself wrote.
There are many Japanese gardens in Great Britain, for example the Kyoto Garden. It occupies a separate part of Holland Park, located in central London, and was created by a team of professional Japanese landscape designers and architects. It is a real masterpiece with ponds and waterfalls, attracting many visitors with its unique magical atmosphere.

One of the most successful variants of the Japanese garden can be seen in Holland: the fence was appropriately designed, and a place away from the rest of the garden was determined. This is a separate green room with its own entrance, most of which is occupied by a pond with koi carps.

Muscovites and guests of our capital can visit the Japanese corner in the Main Botanical Garden. It was created by professionals from the Land of the Rising Sun and is in no way inferior to the best European designs.

The cultural traditions of Japan have always attracted the western layman with their mystery. Interest also touched the field of landscape design. A striking example of the design of a site in an oriental style is the rock garden.

The direction originated in the middle of the second millennium, and not only has not lost its relevance in modern reality, but is also actively used in Western European design. To equip a Japanese rock garden with your own hands is a completely feasible task, an informative publication will help make sure of this.

Japanese garden concept

Landscaping techniques are inexhaustible. The owner of a summer cottage without the inclinations of a florist will like the idea of ​​decorating the plot with a Japanese garden. This implies the installation of several stones on a flat area, the space between which is filled with gravel, pebbles or sand. The perception of a chaotic arrangement of boulders or stones is erroneous. In fact, all elements of the Japanese garden are subject to a single concept.

At the heart of the arrangement of the rock garden is the school of Zen Buddhism, that is, a philosophy aimed at contemplating and comprehending the highest truths through concentration and meditation. Usually, compositions in a Japanese garden are formed by three stones, symbolizing the triad of Buddhist philosophy. The creation of a Japanese garden according to strict principles is a thing of the past; now, when decorating a summer cottage, some deviations from age-old norms and traditions are allowed.

A distinctive feature is the formation of furrows on the surface of pebbles or sand, made with special rakes. Circular stripes around the stones symbolize the waves washing the lonely islands. The origins of the culture of the Japanese garden come from a legend according to which the islands were inhabited by immortal creatures. After vain attempts to find a heavenly place, people independently began to embody the idealistic picture in life. You can get the opportunity to plunge into peaceful reflections after a seething day if you equip a Japanese garden in the country with your own hands.

The principles of creating a stone garden

According to Eastern canons, stone elements were assigned a key role. Therefore, the monks purposefully searched for boulders and cobblestones of suitable shapes. After that, some were installed in their original form, figures were carved from individual copies.

Important! The formation of the garden is subject to certain laws, but at the same time the whole composition is as close as possible to the natural landscape.

Decorating a summer residence with a Japanese-style plot no longer carries a sacred meaning, but certain principles must still be observed. There are three main criteria by which stone elements are selected. As for the form:

• No sharp corners. If there are chips, they should be smoothed out by age-old exposure to wind or water. This helps to reduce aggression and create a peaceful atmosphere. Lonely boulders are selected especially carefully.
• At the dacha in the Japanese garden, stones are welcomed, inclined, flat, stepped, with a vertical or horizontal arrangement.
• Overly regular, cubic or spherical outlines should be avoided.

There are also certain rules regarding color:

• Various shades of stones are allowed: black and white, purple and red, gray and brown.
• The degree of gloss also matters. In some cases, the harmony of a Japanese garden in the country is achieved by installing matte stones; for other spaces, natural gloss is relevant.
• When choosing stones for a Japanese garden in the country, it is important to observe the harmony of the color palette. Do not pile up copies with contrasting shades. Low shine and uniform color scheme are the best option for a calm and serene atmosphere.
• When decorating a Japanese garden in the country, pay attention to the presence of inclusions on the stones. They can be played in an interesting way when placing.

The structure of the stones is the last criterion when choosing specimens for a summer cottage site. Solid and durable material is most appreciated by fans of the oriental style, because this will guarantee the durability of the created composition.

Japanese rock garden photo is filled with sophistication, comfort and tranquility.

Stages of arrangement

A Japanese-style rock garden has many advantages. To form the eastern corner, you do not need to occupy a large plot of the dacha. Looking for seedlings and then looking after exotic plants is also not necessary. Bad or depleted soil is not an obstacle to the arrangement of a Japanese garden. Achieving the goal of relaxing or reuniting with the cosmic mind is possible only in solitude, so the kindergarten is given the most secluded corner in the country.

Before starting work, the entire composition is carefully drawn on paper; moving unsuccessfully placed copies in the future is laborious. Usually, 15 stones are used to equip a plot in a Japanese-style dacha. Supplementing with coniferous vegetation or a well-groomed lawn is encouraged. If possible, the Japanese garden is decorated with a stone bridge or sculpture. The shape for the site is traditionally chosen rectangular or square, the absence of buildings is desirable nearby.

Arrangement of stones

Making a Japanese garden at the dacha begins with the preparation of the site.

Advice! A film laid on the soil will help to facilitate the maintenance of the relaxation zone. This will prevent weeds from growing.

A stone composition is usually formed from an odd number of elements, most often they stop at three copies. The basic rule for placing stones is to form a triangular shape with their tops. When placing boulders in a Japanese garden, the following recommendations are followed:

After the final distribution of the elements of the Japanese garden, they move on to arranging the space between the stones.

Decoration of patterns

The choice of material and its shade for decorating the surface between the boulders depends on the characteristics of the summer cottage area. The abundance of light colors in a sunny area can be unpleasant to blind the eyes, so it is better to give preference to dark gravel. On the contrary, shaded corners are covered with light sand or pebbles.

The lines on the surface have different symbolic meanings. Curvilinear patterns imitate stormy streams, straight furrows are a symbol of calm water, a circle around stones is nothing more than waves washing the island.

Like the location of the stones, it is better to draw a drawing between them in advance in the plan of a Japanese garden. It is applied with a rake equipped with special nozzles.

Paths

Walkways are an integral part of the Japanese garden. For their arrangement, various materials are used:

• flat stones;
• concrete tiles;
• less often - cuts from trees or bricks.

The styling method deserves attention, there are also several rules here:

• No sharp corners and straight lines. The winding paths around the stones are ideal for a Japanese garden.
• The material is laid at intervals, a solid array is not welcome. Moreover, the size of the seams is different, the same gaps are avoided.
• Care must be taken not to form a connection at one point of the four lines.

If the paths in the Japanese garden are lined with large stones, lawn grass can be planted between them. The elements are installed in such a way that all irregularities are deepened into the soil. The outer surface must be flat, otherwise, instead of deep thought, you will have to monitor the safety of movement.

Stones, patterns between them and paths are key elements of a Japanese garden. If desired, it can be supplemented with a statue or a bridge, it all depends on the preferences of the owner of the cottage.

A harmonious combination of human influence and natural elements is the goal of every park complex. This harmony is most fully reflected in the traditions of the Land of the Rising Sun, therefore the Japanese-style garden has gone through centuries of changes and is popular even today.

Deep in history

The first written sources in which the hieroglyph "niva" (garden) is found date back to the eighth century AD. At first, this term meant a kind of space, without natural or artificial fences. Later, man-made elements appeared - fences, pebbled paths, small architectural structures.

The concept of a Japanese garden is associated with painting. The stunning color schemes of the Heian period gardens coincided with the origins of the Yamato-e school. The emergence of Buddhist monasteries and temples fell on the era of samurai - splendor and decorativeness gave way to laconicism and monochrome, the era of dry landscape came.

The so-called tea garden is also marked by the combination of the incongruous - another direction of Japanese park art, which arose already in the 16th century.

Japanese garden - principles of creating style

Three whales on which park complexes of temples and palaces are based:

• the indispensable combination of water and stone, symbolizing the masculine and feminine principles in Eastern philosophy;
• naturalness of plants, boulders, decorative design;
• asymmetry of the landscape with an emphasis on one or more individual details of the composition.

Additional conditions for the structure of the Japanese corner include the presence of an open area, the use of restrained, harmonious color shades.

Photo: landscape design of a summer cottage

Garden styles

In modern landscape design, there are four types of Japanese-style garden design. These variations have been used successfully to organize space.

1. - a small part of the yard or house with an open roof.
2. - an area with a minimum of plants. It is not difficult to create such a site, but the decorative effect of the design will be relatively small.
3. ... This landscape complex differs from the European park tradition familiar to us. A characteristic feature is the maximum use of natural plants and forms, as well as adherence to the seasons.
4. - characterized by the combination of two types of green spaces with a different landscape. In the shady corners, there is certainly a pavilion - wabi, in which the tea ceremony takes place - tyanoyu.

Let's take a closer look at each of these green corners and highlight the principles of their creation.

The garden appeared during the development of urban architecture in the early Middle Ages. The name itself speaks of the miniature landscape composition - the word "tsubo" means a small area, 3.3 square meters. m.

Such a garden is located both in tiny areas of the courtyard in the open air and indoors.

Photo of classic tsubo:

The main purpose of setting up a miniature garden is to let light and nature into the limited urban space.... Plantings for a green corner are selected depending on the cardinal points. For example, in the northern part, sun-loving plants are not planted, and the lack of flowers is compensated for with moss.

The territory of tsubo is laid out with stones, leaving a small piece of land for planting. In the center of the composition there are several plants corresponding to the style of the building. The easiest way to create such a Japanese garden at a summer cottage is to install a tsukubai lantern, make paths from "flying stones" - tobiishi, and arrange several plants harmoniously.

Thematic material:

The lack of light is compensated for by lamps, lanterns or an ingenious gallery of mirrors that saturate the boring walls of a city house with bright and warm sunlight. Decorative lighting will be a small finishing touch to the tsubo composition.

This is a poetic interpretation of an archaic motive - the search for islands of eternal youth and immortality. Ancient legends are reflected in the structure of the rock garden. Although landscape design does not pay enough attention to Japanese philosophy, it continues to use the age-old principles of building stone gardens.

For the Japanese, stone has never been a building material - only an object of worship and admiration. Echoes of the cult attitude towards boulders are presented in the classical methods of arrangement of compositions. When creating an oriental design, boulders are placed in the following ways:

• Mount Khorai is one stone in the middle of the pond as a symbol of this distant peak.
• Mount Shumi is a composition of three stones located in a reservoir or on a small hill.
• The Three Jewels is a placement method based on Buddhist traditions.
• The islands of the crane and turtles repeat folk tales and legends in the garden landscape.

The Japanese attach great importance to the choice of stones. Since boulders are often used in groups, it is not the shape of the individual object that is important, but the harmony of the composition. The design of the Japanese garden welcomes interspersed ancient stones covered with moss and lichens, with rounded outlines. According to the beliefs of the Japanese, such blocks bring peace and harmony to the house, without them it is impossible to decorate a garden in the style of the Land of the Rising Sun.

When creating a composition, they adhere to clear principles of placing stones. The difficulty lies in the correct placement of the main boulder that crowns the entire landscape design. The rest of the elements naturally frame the central stone block, create miniature compositions symbolizing islands or mountain ranges. A Japanese-style garden gives free rein to imagination, but at the same time dictates its own rules.

It is not customary to place stones in an ascending or descending line - the Japanese do not like artificial symmetry. River, mountain and sea stones are not combined in one composition.

To keep the boulders stable, they are buried in. To hide defects and chips, a stunted bush or grass is planted near the stone composition. Plants for the Japanese rock garden pick wild, modest colors.

The appearance of this area is the most familiar to the European look: open space, water flow and a lot of green spaces. In shady corners, both evergreen and deciduous trees grow - this is how the alternation of flowering of each seedling, depending on the season, is achieved.

A good addition to the trees is trimmed shrubs of boxwood, rhododendron, cotoneaster, etc. Such plants, if necessary, hide the walls of houses, garbage containers or compost structures (if the garden is planned to be placed in the country). Conversely, the decorated shrub caps serve as a natural frame for the view of a river bank or endless field.

Decorative elements are of great importance in the tree garden - hedges, bridges, lanterns, gates ... As a rule, internal barriers are made light and airy using a wooden picket fence or bamboo. But the outer fences are made of stones and decorated with tiles.

Part of a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. Its main purpose is to create the necessary atmosphere of peace and tranquility. Its area is not large and imitates a fragment of the mountainous area where the eastern sages settled.

At the far end of the garden is the chashitsu tea ceremony hut. This is a small ascetic house, reminiscent of the dwelling of sages. Both the exterior and interior decoration of this building are very laconic. It is believed that this is the only way to achieve true harmony and tune in to contemplation.

The garden itself seems to prepare a person for the ceremony, being the border between the vain world and the territory of spirituality.

It is decorated in a restrained style close to natural. Plants and stones are arranged in a natural, chaotic manner. The lighting should be dim, barely enough to see the path.

Lanterns are an indispensable attribute of the Japanese garden; they are used for decoration and illumination of the territory. At first, decorative lamps were present only in tea gardens, but later they became the hallmark of any Japanese-style landscape design. As a rule, only one lantern is installed, made of stone. Pedestal models - tatigata - brightly illuminate the surrounding area. The luminous flux of hidden lamps - ikekomigata - is directed downward.

Photo: the bridge serves as a decorative function

Bridges in a Japanese garden do not always serve as a ferry to the other side - rather, they are used as another design element. Unlike Chinese or European designs, the Japanese bridge is flat, sometimes not intended for walking at all. The yatsuhashi bridge is extremely decorative, composed of eight elements - stones or wide planks.

The details of the structure are laid in a zigzag pattern, so it can be difficult to walk along it. Such bridges fit well into a landscape park, they are installed over artificial ponds, depressions with damp ground, or directly above the lawn.

Japanese gardens can tell a lot about the character of the inhabitants of the Land of the Rising Sun. And for Europeans it is a magnificent combination of light, greenery, stone and water, a kind of door to understanding the culture and traditions of the East.

Video: miniature Japan on the site