|
Japanese
flat sea garden
The "flat sea garden" type of Japanese landscape traditionally incorporates a Zen temple.
Surrounded by a flat expanse of raked sand that represents the sea, it ends with "waves", at a symbolic shoreline.
In most flat sea gardens, the walkways do not proceed out into the sand area. Strategically placed benches allow for rest and contemplation.
As the flat sea garden is representative of the sea surrounding Japan, "islands" may appear as mounded plantings.
The technique of shakkei, or "borrowed scenery" is often used by incorporating a distant vista as a background of the design, thereby perceptually enlarging the size of the garden. This style is best know for its profuse use of layered Japanese black pines as a backdrop. Lower shrubs, hedges, and small flowering trees provide the medium distance view on the other side of the sand.
Sometimes a parable is told by the placement of stones in the raked area, similar to that done in the sand-and-stone garden, but whereas the sand-and-stone garden is enclosed with a wall, the Flat Sea garden takes its place within the whole of nature.
Scale & perspective - the basis of a Japanese garden
Recipe for "sand" for your zen garden
|
|
