Gardeners Tips

Chinese Taoists or Daoists sought to recreate the vision of immortals who they believe live in the Mystic Isles. This perfect land was envisaged as a route to eternal life.
Taoism is a religion of nature where everything has its own spirit and deities reside in natural objects. So Taoists gardens reflect landscapes and gardens that are ‘works of nature’.

Components of a Taoist Garden

• Water is the core focus of these gardens. A central pool and or a stream and waterfall  provide a focal point.
• Pools should be a natural shape without straight edges or hard lines.
• Mountains are featured from rocks often one large rock. Each rock is carefully place to optimise its own spirit. Pitted stones and those worn with age are prized for use in grottoes.
• Buildings are important as a place to view nature from the best angle. Generally the buildings are clean simple or rustic structures. Imperial gardens were, not surprisingly, elaborate structures.
• Types of building and structures include verandas, pavilions, gazebos, covered walks, dry boats to extend over water and of course bridges.
• Borrowed views created by windows and pruning emphasis near and distant views.
• Contrast is key to providing good feng shui.

Objectives of a Taoist Garden

• Tao intention is to be the way the path or the road to truth.
• The ‘simple path’ to return to to the simplicity and naturalness  of the inner pulse of the Tao.
• The pools often contain Koi to help harmonise the mind to be at peace.
• If contemplating your own Taoist garden keep it as simple as practical and use nature in its basic and simplest forms.

Flowers and Plants are not Crucial

• Flora are chosen for shape and scent rather than colour. Plum or cherry trees for blossom and pine trees for height.
• Plants are used in symbolism. Peach trees represent immortality. Chrysanthemum long life and contemplation. Magnolia beauty and gentleness. Water lily truth and purity and bamboo represents the steps to enlightenment.

The seeds of Islamic gardens grew from Persian gardens that were created to be oasis in the desert. Islam spread the sphere of influence to India, Turkey, and Spain from the Taj Mahal to Alhambra.

Key Design Elements

• The objectives were to create a haven of order amongst chaos.
• A place to relax and understand the universe.
• Based on the significance of four items most of the designs are quadripartile.
• The four key elements include a boundary or enclosure generally of trees. Water channels dividing into 4 parts. A Gazebo or platform for poets to contemplate. Trees and flowers as a fourth element.
• To readers of the Koran, paradise is a land of rivers running with ‘milk, honey, wine and water.’
• In the Mogul gardens of India, Persian roses were one of the most sought after flowers

Moorish Gardens of Spain

• After conquering parts of southern Spain the Arabs brought their distinctive style of gardening. One of the most famous is the Moorish gardens at Alhambra.
• The entrances to Persian gardens often incorporated highly decorated buildings symbolising the gateway to paradise.
• Buildings and gardens were often integrated into one experience.

Considerations for Your Garden

• What symbolisation do you wish to convey. Plan accordingly.
• It is quite acceptable to incorporate other gardening styles. Some Asian gardens adapted various Hindu influences and European influences may be dictated by growing conditions.
• Think of a Persian carpet with neat squares combining into the garden space available.

Romans were were enthusiastic gardeners (not just for the grapes) but when the empire fell gardening collapsed. Then in around the 9th century AD the gardening skills were revived and every town was encouraged to grow herbs, fruit and nut trees.
The formal gardens of the middle ages had an atmosphere of tranquillity rarely equaled and were thought of as  ‘Heaven on Earth’.

Features of a Christian Garden

• With many features in common with Islamic gardens the Christian monks took inspiration from a revived interest in gardens.
• Boundaries and square structures were the most common with stone walls used in castles and cloisters.  Hedges, wattle fences, palisades, trellis and ditches were also used as boundaries by the less well to do. The effort was made to make them safe as they were a place of retreat and protection from evil.
• Simple paths were used to divide up a rectangular space.
• A medieval garden could be a microcosm of paradise and seen as ‘a recreation of good things’.
• Raised beds of simple geometric shapes accentuated the impression of symbolically clean lines and at the same time helped drainage for herbs.
• Covered walkways and arbors created enclosed spaces within the already enclosed space of the garden.
• Seating was important to facilitate contemplation and prayer.

Monastic gardens

Generally monastic gardens consisted of  several different types of gardens for different and specific purposes. A monastery would typically have a physic garden, plus a secluded garden for contemplation and meditation. There would also be community facilities for separate vegetable and fruit gardens, orchard or cemetery gardens, as well as fishponds and dovecotes.

As recorded on the behalf of St Hildegard Germany’s greatest mystic and God’s companion  ‘The medieval garden, as with any garden, is a work of love. Gardens are instruments of healing, a means to provide sustenance and health, and reminders of our connectivity with the natural world.

Modern tea gardens may seem to be a contradiction but since the 15th century the wabi tea ceremony has influenced the tea gardens purpose and design. Originally when tea plants (Camellia sensi) were introduced into Japan from China in the 6th century they were the prerogative of the ruling classes and used expensive ingredients and equipment.

The  subsequent simplification was started by Zen monk Shuko Murata. It led to the tea-room’s interior being reduced in space to the bare minimum needed for the contemplation of the relationship between people and things.

Key Features of a Zen Tea House

• As a location for the tea ceremony the core attribute is providing a support for humility. ‘We can’t focus on what is important if our egos get in the way’. Thus the entrance to a tea house is generally so low that you must crawl to pass through it.
• The tea house should provide the best views for meditation.
• The objective is to create a hut that emphasises the rustic and humble.
• The approach to the tea house is through the tea garden. To sharpen the mind and senses the path should consist of a series of detailed views.
• Stepping stones help to slow your pace  to a speed suitable for meditation and contemplation.
• Outside the door of the tea room is a stone basin to wash your hands and mouth before the tea ceremony begins.
• There should be a light or lantern to guide you in the dark.

Other Quotes about the Tea Ceremony

• “Tea began as a medicine and grew into a beverage.” –Katkuzo Okakura
• “The Way of Tea cannot be taught in any book…It is a state of mind. Tea is a living
  tradition.” –Professor Kimiko Gunji,
• “Holding a bowl of tea whisked to a fine froth…
  Such a simple thing: yet filled with a spirit that
  Reaches back more than a thousand years.”–The Urasenke Tradition of Tea
• ‘Show them who wait
  Only for flowers
  There in the mountain villages:
  Grass peeks through the snow,
  And with it, spring.’ Fujiwara no letaka