Seemingly untouched by human hands, Japanese gardens captivate with the intricacy and order of their design, the exoticism of their flowers, shrubs and trees, and a tranquillity that is hard to pin down. How can you transform your own green space, drawing inspiration from the Japanese style?
The philosophy of nature
Extensive treatises have been written in Japan on the subject of garden design. Parks found near homes, temples and palaces were intended, in accordance with Japanese aesthetics and the philosophy of beauty, to imitate the charm of nature. In their own gardens, the Japanese wished to feel as though they were amidst wild nature. To make the impression as vivid as possible, they strove to bring every detail of nature into their home gardens. Most importantly, the gardener’s work was to be invisible to the eye; naturalness was the ultimate goal. That is why a Japanese garden must feature its main symbols – water imitating the sea, stone representing mountains, and plants serving as a forest. All elements are integrated into the space with harmony, simplicity and elegance.
The magic of hills in miniature
When planning to create your own Japanese garden, you can draw inspiration from the many types found in the ‘Land of the Cherry Blossoms’. One style that has already been realised in Poland on several occasions is Tsukiyama. It combines all the symbols of nature. When building such a garden, we must set aside space for ponds with characteristic bridges, green mounds with natural boulders, and winding stone and gravel paths. The dominant feature of the Tsukiyama style is greenery. It is on designing its appearance that we will spend the most time. On the one hand, the garden should feature beautifully flowering shrubs, such as azaleas, magnolias or cherry trees, but on the other – the trees themselves should take on a shape that bears witness to the inexorable workings of nature. Their shape should be whimsical and irregular. Bonsai trees should serve as a model. Creating a miniature hill in your own garden takes a lot of work, but the result makes up for the long-term shaping of branches, building stream beds and searching for the perfect boulders.
Dry garden
The second exceptionally popular type of Japanese garden is the Karesansui. This style of landscaping expresses the dominance of civilisation over nature. It is characterised by a complete absence of greenery and water. Constructed from stones and gravel, it captivates with its solemnity, elegance and harmony. Every element has symbolic meaning – the gravel represents water, and the boulders are imaginary islands. This type of Japanese garden, though easier to build, is also very striking. Most importantly, you don’t really need much space to create a corner in this style. We can successfully design a little piece of Japan on a terrace or a spacious balcony.
In search of harmony
Paths winding through greenery and streams should not only resemble natural stone in appearance, but also be functional and comfortable. The elongated, rectangular pavers Polbruk Urbanika fit perfectly into the Japanese style, bringing a touch of luxury and characteristic minimalism to any space. Laid at regular intervals, the pavers Urbanika will create a comfortable path that is resistant to changing weather conditions, imitating natural stone. To enhance the effect, individual elements can be further adorned with stones, which will complement the unique design. The pavers Polbruk Urbanika are available in over a dozen colours and four different sizes. In a Japanese-style garden, those with muted colours and an elongated shape work best. In this way, we can achieve harmony between Japanese inspiration and comfort.
