Backyard Japanese Gardens

The tranquility of a backyard Japanese garden soothes many a savage beast. These are not like English gardens or Italian gardens. There typically is not a lot of color or plant variety.

Rather, the sense of serenity you get when in a Japanese garden offers an opportunity for quiet contemplation and meditation.

The 4 basic components of a Japanese garden are rocks, water, a bridge (typical, but not mandatory), and shrubbery (plus other foliage) which reflect the traditional Japanese concepts.

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Depending on where you live, folks (your local suppliers, landscape designers, and other pros) can advise you about local plants that will work in backyard Japanese gardens. I also suggest using landscape design software (usually available through a supplier) to see how your garden will look BEFORE you buy anything. This is a great planning tool.

There's a lot of work and expense involved in the initial construction of backyard Japanese gardens, but once it's done, the upkeep is minimal. One important rule of thumb is to keep the water circulating. To have standing water anywhere near your house is a bad idea. It will breed mosquitoes.

Use a lot of mulch around the shrubs to give the garden a clean, well maintained look. You'll probably get a few weeds, but much less than if you didn't use the mulch.

I believe a Japanese garden is a great thing for retired people because it offers opportunities for several hobbies. You can get into bonsai plants; you can raise Koi fish; you can grow orchids; or you could simply sit and enjoy the peace and tranquility that backyard Japanese gardens can provide.