Japenese Style Landscaping

Japanese Zen.

I try to think of this style in terms of how I can make the biggest visual impact while keeping a minimalist nature. We are emulating nature with our landscape. While some styles go for big and fancy this style is minimalism meets artist. If you think of your landscape like a blank canvas, Japanese Zen is the equivalent of a painting like this…

A single person walking against a white background. A simple minimalist picture but still very striking. This is what we see in this type of landscaping. We use natural stones, sand, moss, decorative boulders and beautiful accent trees. At first glance, it’s uncomplicated in it’s simplicity which can sometimes be complicated, ironically. We are used to thinking in terms of filling in space and trying to get the most out of our yard. Think about how you can get the most out of very little.

Try these principles of Zen when creating your own Landscape design.

Kanso

Simplicity or the elimination of clutter. The best things are expressed in a plain, simple and natural manner.

Shizen

Naturalness. Full creative intent unforced. Ironically, the spontaneous nature of the Japanese garden that the viewer perceives is not accidental. This is a reminder that design is not an accident, even when we are trying to create a natural-feeling environment.

Koko

Koko emphasizes restraint, exclusion, and omission. The goal is to present something that both appears spare and imparts a sense of focus and clarity.

Check out other styles like Modern Landscaping or Xeriscaping.