gardening

The Ancient Art of Zen Gardening

In today's society, people are looking for lots of different ways to alleviate stress. If you are the kind of person who wants to start the process of de-stressing at home, then consider pursuing the ancient art of Zen gardening.

What is a Zen Garden?

A Zen garden is also referred to as a Japanese rock garden, or Karesansui. It is shallow, and is actually more of an enclosed area, which generally contains such items as rocks, gravel, sand, or grass. Other natural elements are also used.

In the Karesansui style of Zen gardening, sand and rocks are the main components. Indeed, this kind of Zen gardening is quite unique in that plant are often not used at all.

Many of the rocks in a Karesansui garden are named after Chinese mountains. This kind of Zen garden is often designed in such a way that it should be viewed from a seated position, in only one direction.

The interesting thing about Zen gardening is that although each garden is designed in certain ways, there is no one way to look at this kind of garden. For example, someone could look at a Zen garden and see the peaks of hills touching the clouds, while other might see only rocks.

It all has to do with how flexibly people perceive things. When you think of the word Zen, you probably equate it with being calm. Indeed, the main idea behind many Zen teachings is to achieve wisdom through a clear mind that is the result of meditation.

Life is full of distractions, and a Zen garden is supposed to be simple in design, with only a few objects. This way, the mind is quieted, and because it does not have many things to focus on, it cannot be easily distracted.

If you have an interest in this kind of gardening, be aware that there are very specific designs. To find a design that is best for you, it is a good idea to purchase various Zen books, or to consult with someone who is a professional in Zen gardening designs.

Zen gardening, as its name suggests, is meant to be a form of meditation. In Zen thought, the more a person meditates, the more that person can gain a deeper perspective and a clearer mind. The mind should ideally be as calm and as focused as a Zen garden.

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Gardening Tip #11

Some plants require re-potting for optimum growth but there are others that resent having their roots disturbed. Or their roots system may be small enough that they don't require re-potting. One way to check if your plant needs re-potting is to turn it upside down. Tap the pot to release the plant and check its roots. If roots are all you see, then re-pot. Sometimes the roots will come out of the pot. You should either cut them off or re-pot the plant.