Adding Interest With Bamboo Garden Fountains

 

In the previous article 'Using A Bamboo Fountain In Your Garden' we introduced you to the idea of using bamboo garden fountains in your garden design and in the following article we will explain a little more about this easy and quick and easy way to add both audible and visual interest to your garden.

For centuries the Japanese have been masters in the art of garden design and one of the most readily available raw materials is bamboo so it will come as little surprise that they have used bamboo fountains and water features extensively for a greater part of this period. Initially they appeared around the many temples and shrines as a means of cleansing before entering the building. While this is still evident today bamboo garden fountains are mainly decorative in nature.

The Phraseology of Bamboo Garden Fountains

Chozubachi

Chozubachi is the name given to the container into which the water flows in a traditional bamboo fountain. The first fountains were very simple designs which incorporated a bamboo spout directing water into a small basin below. This is the type that would have been used outside the temples and other religious buildings.

Tsukubai

Tsukubai is the name given to a variation of the chozubachi which developed outside of the religious environment. Over time the Japanese began to introduce bamboo garden fountains into their homes and gardens. Tea has always had an important presence in Japanese culture and many of us are aware of the tradition of the tea ceremony and cleanliness is part of the process. Tsukubai is the name given to the shorter fountains which were adapted for use in tea gardens and tea ceremonies.

Kakei

Kakei is the correct name for the bamboo spout which feeds the water into the tsukubai.

Incorporating Bamboo Garden Fountains Into Your Design

The bamboo garden fountains we use in our yards follow the exact same principles as the Japanese water features mentioned above. A bamboo spout feeds water into a basin which allows the water to flow through to a hidden reservoir below from this reservoir the water is pumped back to the bamboo spout so that the water continually moves in a circular motion, spout to basin, from basin to reservoir, from reservoir to spout and back around again.

Nearly every bamboo fountain we can incorporate into our gardening follows the exact same principles. However, when we use these fountains in the West we allow ourselves total freedom in design so we are really only limited by our imagination. One of the best designs that I have witnessed was a simple navigation system, which traveled around the garden appearing through bushes and plants here and there, which was made from bamboo which had been split length ways. The effect of this was the continual sound of flowing water with only small amounts being visible here and there. This created a most unusual atmosphere within a confined space and, with clever planting and a little imagination I could easily imagine myself in the middle of some distant exotic jungle.

Mood and ambience are where bamboo garden fountains can excel and water always seems to have a calming effect upon mankind. The really great thing about using bamboo in fountains is that you can create so many vastly different designs that they can easily be used in any yard or backyard for a minimal amount of cash and not too much fuss.

If you want to discover more take a look at our previous article:
Using A Bamboo Fountain In Your Garden

 

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