Garden Rock
Garden Rock
Zen Garden Design
Zen gardens are very unique landscaping designs that are also known as "Japanese Rock Gardens." . The word "Zen" means "dry" and the Japanese word for this type of garden is karesansui, meaning dry landscape. Consisting almost exclusively of stones and sand, this type of garden became very popular in Japan during the Shogun era (1185-1573AD), when feudal lords sought to landscape their estates in emulation of Buddhist temples. Monks frequently used such gardens to represent complex Universal truths in simple forms, and they frequently used them as places of meditation to calm and clear their minds.
Although American popular culture commonly refers to anything that looks Japanese or Eastern as a "Zen garden," a true karesansui never contains water. Instead, it uses gravel and sand to symbolize water. Usually the gravel is white or near white in coloration, although this is not a hard-fast rule in landscaping. The reason that sand and gravel are used as water substitutes is because they can be intricately sculpted in ways that water cannot. Using only a rake, a landscaper can depict ripples, sea waves, rushing rivers, or still, quiet lakes. Every so often, the gardener will alter these patterns to reflect the Buddhism belief that the only thing constant in the Universe is change itself. Even those things that appear to be the most fixed of forms are slowly being altered by unseen forces all around us. In many Buddhist temples even to this day, monks remind themselves of this truth by raking the sand in their Zen gardens while they meditate, seeking a still mind in the perfection of linear form, and creative insight in curved patterns of motion that wrap harmoniously around alternating forms.
In most Zen gardens, rocks take the place of vegetation. This is another aspect of their design that makes these landscapes highly unique. Stones carefully placed in the sand create focal points in the endless fluidity that surrounds them, allowing an infinite variety of wave forms to accent their structure and positioning. Buddhist monks, long before Einstein, understood the relationship between matter and energy. The interplay of sand and stone directly reflects this relativistic relationship with a set of simple, natural symbols that are easy to work with and peaceful to behold. The relationship between light sand and dark stone is another important symbolic element, and directly correlates to the concepts of yin and yang. It must be emphasized that black is NOT a symbol of evil in the Eastern World, but instead represents the receptive elements of the mind. In a similar way, white has nothing at all to do with our moral concept of good. It symbolizes the mind's ability to express itself through intentional action. The careful placement of darker stones in lighter sand (or vice versa) is therefore never intended to represent a clash of opposites. Instead, it is meant to represent the dual nature of the mind as it perceives reality through contemplation, then acts upon it through intention.
One famous Japanese text even goes so far as to state that the most important element of Zen gardening is the placement of stones. The text goes on to say that rocks should always be positioned where the most attractive side faces the viewer. It also states emphatically that there should be a greater number of horizontal stones (or "chasing stones" as they are called in Japan) than there are vertical stones (called "running stones" in the text). Again, this helps emphasize the rising force of intent coming up from the depths of the mind. Intent is mystery in Buddhism, but its effects are clearly evidenced by action.
The philosophical function of rocks is complimented on the practical level practical level by decoratively arranging them to represent objects that are commonly found in Nature. Ancient Japanese texts on the subject recommend creating such features as mountains, lakes, seashores, rivers, and cliffs out of rocks of varying sizes. The only vegetation typically found in an authentic Zen garden is moss, which is trained to grow over rocks in emulation of forests growing along river banks, lakeshores, and mountainsides covered in forests. Very small shrubs are used at times to frame a Zen garden, but only as a perimeter element, and seldom, if ever, as a central one.
About the Author
Jeff Halper is passionate for Landscaping and wants to share infomation about that passion. At
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what are the odds that the sand from my rock garden is aquarium safe?
i recently added some sand to my betta's 5.5 gallon aquarium to give it a more natural look, but i only had 4 pounds of sand to add. i found some replacement sand in my closet from and old zen rock garden and im trying to figure if its safe for the fish. is there any way to test it without harming my fish? ive already pre washed it so its ready to go into the tank
Stick with the four pounds. Yeah it's a bit thin, but you want to keep it under 2 inches or you can run into a problem called compaction if it isn't stirred up at least weekly. Compaction can cause anaerobic pockets to form which will produce hydrogen sulfide gas, which is fatal for fish. Stick with the thin layer.
Garden Rock
Rock Garden by Jason Swain
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Savage Garden Savage Garden Rock Music CD Review
Richly talented Savage Garden have released their latest CD titled Savage Garden and Wow! It’s really a good one.
It's a rare day indeed that I get a CD from an artist that I can truthfully say does not have a bad track in the bunch. I'm more than happy to announce that’s exactly what I must say about this one. There simply isn’t a bad one in the bunch. No fillers here at all, with each song standing tall on it's own.
Savage Garden is a pleasantly varied, mix of 11 tracks that are very well written and brilliantly performed songs by these clearly superb musicians. With many of the songs displaying a lot of the kind emotion that makes for a really great listen. Clearly drawing from what I can only imagine are their own personal experiences. At different points touching on the most real emotions of love, heartbreak, pain, failed relationships and unattainable romance. They’re all here.
I’m of the opinion that Savage Garden is certainly some of this groups best work in a few years. A totally enjoyable CD and an outstanding release. What I call must have music. I give it two thumbs up because it’s a collection that even the casual Rock fan can appreciate and enjoy.
While this entire CD is really very good some of my favorites are track 2 - I Want You, track 3 - Truly Madly Deeply, and track 11 - Santa Monica
My Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 1 - To The Moon & Back. This is a great track!
Savage Garden Release Notes:
Savage Garden originally released Savage Garden on April 15, 1997 on the Columbia label.
CD Track List Follows:
1. To The Moon & Back 2. I Want You 3. Truly Madly Deeply 4. Tears Of Pearls 5. Universe 6. Carry On Dancing 7. Violet 8. Break Me Shake Me 9. Thousand Words, A 10. Promises 11. Santa Monica
Savage Garden: Daniel Jones (vocals, guitar, keyboards, programming); Darren Hayes (vocals). Additional personnel: Rex Goh (guitar); Alex Hewitson (bass); Terapai Richmond (drums, percussion).
About the Author
Garden Rock