Otherwise, choose ones that will work in the space and location. If you want to create a more conventional Japanese rock garden, then skip the plants. But, if the area is large enough, you can add a sitting bench, a statue, or some other focal element to aid with relaxation and meditation. But crushed stone or small pebbles are usually a better choice. If your backyard zen garden is in a protected spot, then sand might work fine. Just keep in mind that sand is lighter weight, so it can blow around in the wind, or wash away if there’s a heavy rain. You could use sand instead of gravel if you want. Gravel is used to represent water, but you could use an actual garden water feature instead. If you want to make yours more traditional, then use natural stones and boulders, rather than concrete. Keep in mind that concrete is not something you would normally find in a Japanese zen garden, so I improvised on this part. I needed a tall element in the corner of mine to cover up some ugly wires and utilities, so I built a large concrete block planter, rather than using large rocks. If you have a small area like mine, stick with using rocks and small boulders, so you don’t crowd the space. Large rocks and boulders represent land and mountains in a traditional zen design. Here’s the breakdown of what you need for building a zen garden in your backyard… Rocks Or Boulders You could also add a statue or other focal point into your design, a bench for relaxing, and plants of course. The main elements that make up a zen garden design are rocks and gravel or water. It was the perfect size for a small zen garden, and I couldn’t wait to get started. Overgrown bushes before installing my zen succulent gardenĪfter relocating the bushes to a more suitable location (don’t worry, no shrubs were hurt or destroyed for this project), it really opened up the space. But once they matured, they took over the small space, making it look weedy and overgrown. Several years ago, I planted some bushes in the future home of my zen garden. But that’s not necessary for a zen garden design. You could also incorporate a space where you can sit to meditate, or build yours next to a relaxing sitting area. The act of raking patterns into the gravel is soothing, and aids in meditation and relaxation. As I already mentioned, gravel is traditionally added, and then raked in ways that represent flowing water. Zen gardens are meant to be used for meditation and contemplation. But these days they can be any size – from an entire backyard, to a mini zen garden sitting on your desk. Originally Japanese rock gardens were created as large outdoor spaces. Plants are an optional part of the design, and using little or none is the key is to keeping it simple and low maintenance. Many are made using rock and gravel alone, and don’t contain any plants or water. Traditionally they are built using rocks and boulders to represent land and mountains, and gravel which is raked in patterns that create the illusion of water. You really can't cheat on this! A flower that needs shade will fry in the hot sun, while sun lovers will not bloom well in the shade.Īhead, learn more about our favorite orange flowers for your garden.Inspiration for my DIY zen garden design What’s A Zen Garden?Ī zen garden, also known as a Japanese rock garden, is a calming space designed to represent a mini landscape. Plants that like full sun need six or more hours of direct sunlight, while part sun is about half that. Read the plant tag or description to be sure about what it needs. Also, give your plants the correct amount of sunlight. When shopping, make sure the perennials you choose are suited to survive winters in your USDA Hardiness Zone. You'll want to plant both types because annuals will provide season-long color from spring planting until frost, while perennials will come back year after year. It's hard to feel down when you're surrounded by orange flowers!īoth annual and perennial flowers come in this happy, upbeat shade. It's also the signature shade of some of our favorite fall flowers. It's a color that feels upbeat and cheerful, and it lends a sense of excitement to any garden bed or container planting. Orange is an eye-catching shade that contrasts beautifully with calmer, cooler colors such as purple and blues. But sometimes you want a color that spices things up! That's when you need to plant orange flowers. We love flowers in every color: the tiny fragrant flowers of white sweet alyssum tumbling out of window boxes, the bold blooms of white peonies flecked with pink, and the bright yellow petunias draping out of hanging baskets.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |