The Spiritual Japanese Garden

In her book, The Healing Garden, popular garden writer Gay Search points out that: "A garden is a place for the mind and spirit." For those of us who love and appreciate Japanese gardens her point is very pertinent.

In China and Japan gardening evolved to help people, through contemplation, achieve a state of 'divine emptiness' or 'no mind' which became Taoism. In 6th century (BC) China, Tao was the main religion - it believed in the "one" - a universal spirit that energized the whole cosmos. The teaching was that we should learn from nature and try to model our lives and behaviour from it.

Chinese gardens were also influenced by Feng Shui - developed in China thousands of years ago. It became an all embracing principle of garden design with its five elements of, fire, earth, metal, water and wood.

Feng Shui means "wind and water" and is concerned with the way we interact with our environment. It focuses on the Yin and Yang - two counterbalanced elemental forces in the cosmos which it is important to manage if we are to achieve a lifestyle balance - and it became an important principle of Taoism. For the devotee of feng shui the idea is to manage the ongoing struggle between the Yin and Yang thus enabling ch’i or qi - an energizing force - to flow freely without blockages.

For centuries Chinese gardening was ruled by the laws of feng shui, which in many cases restricted gardens to specific places – for example a river to the east, a mountain to the north etc. Then along came the Sakuteiki by Tachibana no Toshitsung in the period around 794-1185AD. The Sakuteiki suggested remedies to some of these problems freeing designers from the constraints of Chinese thinking. This was one of the starting points of what we now consider Japanese gardening style.

Enter Zen! The Zen influence arrived in China around 500 AD spread by a monk from India who had probably been influenced by Taoism which in turn influenced his brand of Buddhism. The monk, Bohdidharma, brought together the self reliance of the Tao to the meditative practices of Buddhism.

As the warrior caste - the samurai - began its rise in Japan so did Zen. One of the by-products from Zen was temple construction. Naturally around the temple it wasn't long before gardens became part of the construction. The Kamakura era wore the mantle of Zen and the garden becomes a place of contemplation and deep reflection and many have written that it was the key to the soul of its people.

If you want to learn more about the influences of Taoism and Zen on Japanese gardening log onto www.helpfulgardener.com

This excellent website has several articles on Japanese garden design and is a good starting point in trying to understand the philosophies behind Japanese gardens and why they have that ageless quality associated with them.

Eventually as Zen faded styles of Buddhism, peculiar to Japan, began to form. The culture of the Japanese became encapsulated in the garden. Then after a period of lavish and ornate garden construction we find the influence of the tea ceremony. During the 16th century, the tea ceremony became an important part of Japanese culture. The tea houses erected in Japanese gardens were simple and reflected a more rustic style.

In 18th century Britain it became fashionable for aristocrats, who were fascinated by Chinese and Japanese culture, to adopt some of these principles in their own gardens. They created meandering paths and streams, elegant bridges and pagodas. This fashion became known as Chinoiserie. In 1757 the Prince of Wales (later George III) commissioned the gigantic eye catching pagoda at Kew which still stands today as a monument to Chinoiserie.

By the 19th century the Japanese garden in Britain became even more popular taking several forms from the dry Zen Buddhist garden of rocks and raked gravel to the tea garden and the pond-and-island garden with rocks and clipped evergreens.

In her book "The Story of the Garden" Penelope Hobhouse tells us that understanding the symbolism of the Japanese garden is important and she devotes two very informative chapters to Chinese and Japanese gardening. Many of the early European Japanese gardens were made with little understanding of the concept behind the elements.

I well remember the shock on the face of one designer when I once went to visit a Japanese garden and tea house erected in Liverpool's Albert Dock not long after it was refurbished in the 1980s. I was totally ignorant of the concept of this type of garden and had not noticed that the gravel was raked in a particular way. Unfortunately, during the interview I stood on the gravel - "You are standing in the sea of tranquillity", he cried horrified. I immediately jumped off but the damage was done! No doubt I had completely disturbed his feng shui.

The Japanese also consider the principle of Shakkei - borrowed scenery. By planting smaller trees at the perimeter and larger ones nearer the centre they create an illusion of distance and views. A Japanese garden will reflect the country's landscape with plants that are tightly clipped to reflect mountains, clouds and waves and pines trained to give the impression of great age. Cherry, Camellia and Acer trees will create colour and vibrancy.

In her book The Healing Garden, Gay Search covers spiritual gardens and gives us an insight into how we can bring the principles into our own gardens. She explains the reasoning behind curved paths and the need to avoid straight lines or sharp angles. She explains the concepts behind the yang side of the garden, (the Green Dragon) and the yin side (the White Tiger) and offers advice on how to plan these so that you create a smooth flow of qi.

We are fortunate in Britain to have several really good examples of the art of Japanese gardening. At Tatton Park (pictured above) in Cheshire, Japanese craftsmen were brought in to build the Moss Garden in 1910. Here you will find a Shinto shrine, half-moon bridge and tea house on an island carpeted with moss and shaded by Japanese maples. In the Autumn it is an absolute delight. www.tattonpark.org.uk

At Kew you will find the Chokushi-Mon (Gateway of the Imperial Messenger). (pictured below) This is a replica of the Karmon of Nishi Hongan-ji in Kyoto. Created in 1910 for the Japan-British Exhibition it was dismantled and reconstructed at Kew. It has beautifully carved woodwork depicting stylised flowers and animals. In 1979 a granite block inscribed with a haiku by Takahama Kyoshi was presented to Kew. The Haiku stone reads: Even Sparrows, freed from all fear of man, England in Spring. Haikus are lyric poems which express emotion by reflecting the moods of the seasons.

In Kew the Japanese garden consists of three garden areas designed to give an impression of some of the many different aspects of Japanese gardens. The 'Garden of Peace' is reminiscent of a tea garden (roji), calming and tranquil. The 'Garden of Activity' illustrates a majestic natural scenery of waterfalls, hills and the sea. Gravel and rocks express vigorous movement of water flowing and falling. The 'Garden of Harmony' represents the mountainous regions of Japan featuring carefully placed stones interplanted with shrubs. www.rbgkew.org.uk

At 'Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons, Raymond Blanc has a delightful Japanese garden (pictured below). In the style of a Chaniwa (tea gardens) or Roji (Dewy path). Here one finds the fusion of Buddhist, Taoist and Shinto influences. Enter the garden via the gravel bridge which takes you to the water basin. Here there are three large stones representing the Buddhist Trinity. The visitor pauses to pour water over their hands in ritual ablution then you have a choice of paths through to the outer garden.

The stepping stone paths slow the tread, the pace is slow and deep. Of course the ultimate destination is the tea house. The low front door ensures that every guest has to offer a gesture of humility toward the Tokonoma (alcove) opposite. "The Japanese garden at Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons makes a good winter garden" explains Raymond, "as it consists mostly of evergreens. I like to spend time in the Japanese garden, a time for reflection and relaxation - it focuses on peace and tranquillity and harmony." Visit www.manoir.com for further information about Raymond's garden.

Another delightful garden, Compton Acres in Poole, Dorset, was built in the 1920s by Japanese architects. Every stone and ornament was brought from Japan and today it is considered one of the best examples of this type of garden. www.comptonacres.co.uk

As many of the modern gardens tend to concentrate on abstract sand and stone it is a delight to find gardens such as Tatton and Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, where all the principles of Japanese design come together to form a spiritual 'one'.

There is certainly room in every garden to create a little space dedicated to Japanese principles. I have a small gravel area where Buddha sits and surveys all I am doing. Hopefully, this article has given you some inspiration to read further and maybe visit several of the excellent Japanese gardens here in the UK.