Japanese gardens have gained a reasonable fame in the European or Western countries over the recent years. Japanese gardens are known for there unique blend of hard man made elements with soft natural characteristics and calm mood. The main aim of Japanese gardens is to produce the harmony and balance between the atmosphere and surroundings. These gardens to large an extent represent the pictures of their spiritual values and philosophical norms. The traditional elements involve in Japanese gardens are stone, water, bamboo, bridges, ornaments and plants.
A Japanese influence in the gardens is remarkably very colorful, exotic and somehow subtropical. However, it is not always possible to make the image of the Japanese garden equal to the traditional art form. It is hard for western societies to acquire all the orient features and aspects of the Japanese garden. However, this is also true that you need not to understand all these to bring something of the feel of orient into your garden.
There are so many components and elements which you can use to introduce the Japanese feel into your garden, for instance, you can use bamboo, an oriental element; you can even introduce some of the fundamental principles of Japanese landscape designs; and last but not the least, introduction of water features. Water features are the main key of the Japanese style gardens. It can be in any form from an exquisite water pool to an ordinary shishi-odoshi (deer scarer in Japanese), spilling water into a bowl occasionally.
Shape of the pond or pool is mostly not a matter of concern in Japanese gardens. It can be round or square or anything, the only specialty of these gardens is to bring the perfect picture of countryside's landscape into the garden. These islands may look prominent or any mountainous illustration through rocks and stones closely packed and deliberately arranged along with shrubby oriental evergreens, i.e. the Japanese maple or Japanese azalea.
In some oriental gardens shoreline creativity is also used. Niches and promontories have been created with rocks and planting. The water entry passage is concealed with planting.
Another water feature is low, flat island. This sort of island hint briefly to a moor and different sort of grasses, sedges, irises are used to plant at the edges. Tidal islands are usually represented by submerged rocks and tiny grassy plants.
Running water is another feature of such gardens. This feature is not confined to rills, cascades and wandering streams. Bamboo pipe work can also be used along with large stones and variety of gravels to provide the contrast and variable looks under the water level.
Where water is the major scheme of the garden, the selection of plant is of sole importance. The choice and arrangement of the plants may not be orient but they must be in right shape. Bamboos, grasses, irises, ferns and primulas are enough to provide your garden a Japanese theme along with the appropriate water features. Lotus can also be a good option with appropriate water schemes.
