Sep 11 2009

Modern Zen Gardens and the Implementation of Water Fountains

Zen gardens, or Japanese rock gardens, are increasingly popular sights in modern homes. Traditionally speaking, these Japanese rock gardens do not feature any kind of water in their design. They are meant to be dry, featuring gravel or sand and majestic but not-too-large rocks. However, many modern western Zen garden owners try to introduce the water element to their backyard in correspondence with traditional Feng Shui methods using water fountains.

The sand in a Zen garden is meant to symbolize water, particularly the ocean, and the large rocks are usually construed to represent islands. Maintaining such a garden is also symbolic: raking the sand, moving the rocks, and tending to the plants is inextricably linked to the concentration, focus, and ultimate enlightenment of Zen Buddhism. However, a modern water fountain can dramatically improve the atmosphere and beauty of a Zen garden without sullying the symbolic nature of the place. Installing a charming modern fountain along the boundaries of the garden will instill your outdoor space with the idyllic, tranquil sounds of softly burbling water, which can enhance your outdoor meditations as you rake the garden or lounge outside. Water fountains, like Zen gardens themselves, are very dynamic pieces of “living art” that are constantly changing, always moving, and very much “alive.” Raking the gravel in your Zen garden, and trimming the plants along the edges, means that the look of the garden is ever-changing; similarly, the water never flows down the fountain face the same way. Like a true waterfall, amodern fountain is a majestic and moving natural feature that will bring organic beauty to your home.