What plants are in a Zen garden?
What Plants are Used in Zen Gardens? Zen gardens can have a wide assortment of plants and still be considered traditional, with some of the commonly chosen options being Japanese maples, cherry blossom trees, and Japanese boxwood, to name a few. Keep your Zen garden free from debris like fallen leaves, twigs, or weeds. These can accumulate quickly, especially if you have trees or plants around. By routinely removing debris, you’ll preserve the clean, minimalist look of your garden, a key aspect of traditional Japanese garden ideas.
What is the best rock for a Zen garden?
Japanese zen gardens traditionally use crushed granite, basalt, limestone, and weathered fieldstones to represent natural elements like mountains and islands. Though often referred to as “sand,” most zen gardens use fine gravel or crushed stone. Three of the essential elements used to create a japanese garden are stone, which form the structure of the landscape; water, representing life-giving force; and plants, which provide the color and changes throughout the seasons.
What do trees represent in a zen garden?
The short bloom period of flowering shrubs, perennials and ornamental trees reflect the balance between the ephemeral existence of human life and nature’s timelessness. The weathered pine trees—representing longevity in Japanese culture—are pruned and trained to give the illusion of old age. However, one species in particular outlives them all. The Great Basin Bristlecone Pine (Pinus longaeva) has been deemed the oldest tree in existence, reaching an age of over 5,000 years old.