Learning About The Chinese Garden Design Options
Designing a garden is an art and to tackle the task yourself requires a great deal of patience and a certain amount of study. The amount of study required will depend upon how knowledgeable you are already but when you have chosen something like a Chinese garden design you may find that many aspects are alien to you and will therefore require much more preparation and study than a more conventional design.
Chinese Garden Design Ideas
Water is one of the most important aspects of Chinese garden design. Water is often seen in a Chinese garden because water is representative of purity and serenity. Most of us appreciate the calming influences of a well placed water feature in any garden but in a Chinese garden it is of special importance.
There are a number of ways in which to incorporate water into your garden design. Possibly the simplest, most common and most popular water feature is the water fountain. A water fountain kit can be purchased from virtually every garden center or nursery and can be a spectacular centerpiece of your garden or a subtle aspect of a small pool in a corner of your garden.
Most people enjoy the addition of a pool into a garden but even the smallest pool can add that special "something" to your garden. I personally prefer a natural looking pond whereas others prefer a more formal approach. Preformed pool kits are readily available but you have more freedom if you use a suitable pond liner and design the shape yourself.
One of the things which most of us recognize as distinctly Chinese is magic lantern. The addition of a magic lantern is, possibly, the easiest way in which you can change an ordinary design into a Chinese garden design. Even the most simple of gardens will suddenly appear Chinese and in the evenings, sat out in your suitably styled gazebo, your garden will take the form of a traditional Chinese garden. Incredibly beautiful, and surprisingly calming, the magic lantern is an incredibly decorative way to light a garden while adding an element of traditional Chinese culture.
Subtle Differences to Other Designs
During the process of Chinese garden design it is extremely important that you always keep in mind all aspects of Chinese culture and that you do not confuse other aspects of Asian cultures with those of China. Although Japan is very close to China, Japanese gardens are often simple and sparse (picture a Zen garden of raked gravel and a large rock placed carefully), whereas Chinese gardens are more complex with dense plantings and other traditionally Chinese elements.
A Chinese garden design will allow a certain amount of freedom when compared to other types of design and it is always advisable to make your design as personal as possible. Try to add a few different items, those usually associated with Chinese culture. Get yourself some books about China and see if you can emulate some of the items which appear in these books. There are many garden ornaments available today which, in the right setting, will create the sense of something Chinese or ancient.
The more research you are able to do the better. By fully immersing yourself into the culture of the Chinese you will soon be creating a truly wonderful masterpiece of Chinese garden design that can be enjoyed by all.
More Chinese garden design books are listed at the bottom of this page.
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See also: Landscaping, Lawn Care, Organic Garden, Barbeque Grill/Smokers, Outdoor Furniture, Vegetable Gardening & Vegetable Gardens
Below is a selection of books about Chinese garden design:
