The well-known garden writer Julie Moir Messervy has identified seven archetypes that, in some way, shape or form, constitute all garden designs and the feelings associated with them, such as the sea (immersing), the cave (nestling), the harbor or cove (embracing), the promontory (extending), the island (separating), the mountains (transforming) and the sky (transcending). The archetypes are the source images, some say, that reside in our subconscious mind. The fundamental relationships and intricacies that exist among water, rocks, trees and sky express themselves in the form of lakes, ponds, rivers, streams and waterfalls.Įarly Japanese garden builders also seemed, in my opinion, to be intuitively attuned to the variety of archetypes of the natural landscape. The gardens are smaller, with more concentrated effects that are reduced to the essence of nature. They are derived from “sacred spaces,” which predate the first gardens by at least 1,000 years.įrom the grandeur of gardens seen in Han (China), Japanese designers scaled the gardens to fit the topographical and special conditions of Japan. Rocks and ponds are two of the most fundamental elements of the garden whose use can be traced back to prehistoric times. In a land where space is precious, the art of landscaping and garden design has been taken to very high limits of expression, with distinct formations that engage an aesthetic and philosophy that are completely unique from Western traditions.

Moving through the Japanese garden is a journey, which is also the destination.

Tei-en combined with niwa, the literal translation of “garden,” forms the basic framework for stone, water and plants, the three ingredients for designing a western Japanese garden. My fascination was with an aesthetic that is very close to my own understanding of Tei-en, with Earth serving as the sculpture where the natural world and the sparing hand of human presence mutually create a contemplative environment. However, they did contain powerful aesthetic components that would be discovered and brought to the forefront in the future creation of gardens. The early gardens of Japan were not created for aesthetic reasons instead, they were sacred places meant for prayers and rituals. It is in the exquisite balance of these two fundamental qualities that the Japanese garden finds a universal voice.

The Japanese refer to their gardens as Tei-en, which translates as both “wild nature” and “controlled nature,” two opposing characteristics. Creators of Japanese gardens attempt to capture the brilliance of water and consider how it will ultimately resonate with the viewer. The beauty of water in the wild is unparalleled. Originally published on Octoin Pond Content, Pond Design By Jerome Skuba, Zoen Sekkei-Sha & Associates

Japanese landscape design