Japanese Gardens

Japanese Gardens

The garden as an art form has 'evolved' differently in the different regions of the world. Australia perhaps takes a Western outlook in it's approach to garden design. We have our origins in England, and generally speaking have adopted clipped lawns, and formal flower beds as the formal approach to our gardens.

In fact

some people speculate that our garden design can be seen to reflect the Wests "story of mans domination over nature, bending it to suit his own needs and desires", an interesting comparison indeed.

But if we speculate that this is what is happening in the West, how might the East approach such matters as the garden?

It could be said that the Eastern philosophies have viewed the concept and value of nature in an entriely different way; as an ally rather than a subject under domination. This may be an overly simplistic argument, but it does hold true when one views how the Japanese, for example, have approached their gardens.

Whilst in Japan I was witness to many Japanese gardens. They are unique, however their origins lie in China. Their gardens are more like a miniture landscape, and take on a different function than the 'prim-and-proper' versions we uphold in the West.

The Japnese garden often becomes a place of deep reflection, and subtle uses of viewpoint, play of light, texture and symbolic iconography (just to name a few features) give one a glimpse at the society behind the facade of the garden.

Subsequent articles will explore the Japanese tradition: how it is different from concepts induced in the West, and how we may use it as a tool to not only bridge and learn from different cultures, but also perhaps change our outlook on how we approach the environment around us.

Trust me, the humble garden can be a tool to change your perspective on the world around you.