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How create a zen garden and how to maintain it? Very particular, Zen’s interior and exterior style is both mineral and refined. It is not difficult to conceive, but you must carefully look after every detail of its layout and decoration.
It is to be realized according to the precepts of Feng Shui advocating the balance of the elements.
Create a zen and mineral garden: tips and advice
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First of all, it is important to note that the Zen garden differs from the Japanese garden, the latter being more vegetated and still requiring the presence of a large pool of water. The Zen garden, as the name suggests, is inspired by the same tradition, but is minimalist and often small. It is a space for meditation, inner peace and relaxation.
The Zen garden is a place to contemplate serenely sitting on a bench
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The Zen garden is a small garden of contemplation. No garden paths and curbs are installed in a Zen garden. He is contemplated serenely, sitting on a bench or through a window.
The Zen Garden requires weekly maintenance
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Always closed, the Zen garden is a little jewel plant and preserved, designed in the city or within the walls of a temple.
The Zen garden has no garden path, it is designed as a work to contemplate
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Its location is of paramount importance. The Zen garden will fit perfectly in a glazed patio or between two blocks of a contemporary house. It can also be integrated in a classic style garden by providing a space for relaxation to find inner peace.
The Zen garden is usually small and often landscaped
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The Zen garden is not necessarily geometric and consists of straight lines. On the contrary, asymmetry is to be favored. In Japanese culture, it is often said that “Harmony is born of imbalance”.
Japanese philosophy says harmony comes from imbalance
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The number of rocks and plants must be odd. This is considered positive energy carrier.
The Japanese garden is different from the Zen garden
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The idea of the Zen Garden is to recreate a natural and serene landscape, so it will hide the urban elements such as fences, stairs and concrete walls. Bamboo is an ideal choice.
Small well-landscaped urban garden with zen elements
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Japanese maple, five-leaved pine and boxwood are also perfect for Zen gardens. The flowering plants are practically non-existent in the design of the Zen garden, except for the iris.
Modern garden with succulents and a waterfall
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What furniture for the Zen garden? The Zen garden furniture is simple to sit and meditate. Preferably, it must be in natural matter.
Large Japanese-inspired garden with irregular garden path
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To start planning your zen garden, first clean your future location carefully. Then, define the space with exotic wood joists, large pebbles or slates.
Delimit the space of your zen garden with exotic wood joists or large pebbles
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The stones are to be placed vertically and horizontally. It is important to keep in mind the idea of ”imbalance”.
Create a harmonious and relaxing exterior for your Zen moments
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Once the site has been cleaned, it must be flattened so that a thick layer of sand or white gravel can be added. With a rake, shape waves and waves around the rocks to create a sense of movement.
The number of rocks and plants placed in the garden must be odd
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In general, the Zen garden is composed of rocks arranged according to a precise symbolism and carefully carved sand. The lawn is absent, it is replaced by gravel, sand and rocks.
For a natural and serene landscape, obscure urban elements such as fences
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The maintenance of the Zen garden is simple and does not require water. Yet, the Zen Garden requires a rake pass once a week to keep it clean.
The Zen garden has no garden path and flowering plants
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The Zen Garden is always simple, never multiply objects like basins, waterfalls, lanterns or bridges.
The Zen garden requires a rake pass once a week to keep its mineral aspect
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Favor a single decorative element and put it in value. This is also the case of “The art of making flowers live”, Ikebana is not the quantity that counts, but the harmony of the composition.
Modern garden with zen inspired elements
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The idea of the Zen garden is to live in harmony with nature, so avoid installing too many garden furniture, let alone those that are not natural.
Mid-sized, modern garden with elements inspired by Japanese culture
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The Zen garden is often called dry garden because he has no vegetation.
To define the space, use large pebbles or slates
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Zen Buddhism develops in Japan from 10th century.
In Japanese culture, sobriety and simplicity take precedence
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The Zen Garden first appears in the temple grounds among Zen Buddhist monks during the Kamakura period, between 1185 – 1333.
House and large Japanese style garden
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Opposite the ostentatious garden, the Zen garden was entirely dedicated to meditation.
With a rake, shape waves in the sand that surrounds the rocks
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Zen is a branch of Buddhism that is based on meditation and inner peace for over 3000 years.
The Zen garden is asymmetrical unlike French landscaped gardens
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According to the story, the initiator and founder of Zen Buddhism is a man with the name Siddhartha Gautama. He stated that he understood human suffering and how to chase it away through meditation and the release of negative thoughts.
Large zen garden with large rocks in odd numbers and asymmetrically placed
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This is also the purpose of creating a zen garden – it will become a temple of meditation where one can find inner peace and free oneself from the negative.
Garden of Asian and exotic inspiration at a time
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The contemplation of a garden with simple shapes, and not complex, allows thought to travel freely and find peace.
Japanese house with Zen garden and wooden fence
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Nowadays, we are more and more exposed to stress and negative emotions. Meditation becomes necessary for our well-being and inner balance.
The Zen garden is designed according to the precepts of Feng Shui and the balance of elements
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Zen garden in an urban setting with stone bench
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