What is a Japanese garden
At its heart the Japanese garden remains an attempt by humans to encapsulate the spirit of Nature, recognising the cycle of seasonal changes and the transience of life. The original conception of the garden was to create an idyllic environment that would tempt the deities down from heaven to dwell in proximity to human beings.In Japan there are myriad ways in which this over-riding aim has been expressed. When one visits Japan it becomes immediately obvious that the range of gardens is vast, from tiny landscaped spaces outside contemporary apartment blocks to historic Imperial gardens which spread over many acres. Despite this huge range they are all linked by the continuity of a long tradition going back over 1400 years.
Outside Japan, Japanese-style gardens have been created across the world. These are inevitably adaptations in one way or another, to account for differing climatic conditions, architecture, availability of suitable planting material and the availability of appropriate maintenance skills.