Oriental Landscaping: A Serene Escape


Oriental landscaping, when done by someone familiar with its design elements, creates a sense of serenity seldom achieved by any other form of landscaping. And while most of us associate Oriental landscaping with the Pacific Rim countries--Japan, China, South Korea and Thailand--its ability to transform small back yards into relaxing retreats is making it more and more popular with American homeowners.

Some Features of Oreintal Landscaping

Simplicity is one of the hallmarks of Oriental landscaping, which achieves great beauty with a few asymmetrically-arranged small plantings and architectural features. You may have noticed that Oriental landscaping has not straight lines or harsh angles; one of the secrets to its "flow" is that it avoids regimented design.

Oriental landscaping provides a contemplative space using evergreen trees, bamboo, and spring-blooming trees and plants; common ones are cherry trees, azaleas, peonies, and irises, and moss-covered stones, and ornamental grasses.

All the plantings are carefully arranged to create a completely natural look. The final result is that, when you enter a garden with Oriental landscaping, you'll feel completely removed from the outside world and immersed in the natural beauty around you.

Oriental Landscaping: Waterfalls, Brooks, And Fish Ponds

Water is an important element of Oriental landscaping; koi ponds with their darting, gleaming golden and white fish are one of its trademarks. Home gardeners are now able to install their own back yard koi ponds, with kits available at most home and garden stores.

The kits are reasonably inexpensive, and include all the materials and instructions you'll need for installation. Before you decide you'd like a koi pond, however, educate yourself in the long-term maintenance of a fresh water pond, and especially in the care of the fish.

If you don't think a fish pond is right for you, you can incorporate water into your Oriental landscaping with a waterfall or sparkling brook. Because most Oriental landscaping uses rocks prominently, you can have your landscape designer put in a stream bed with boulders and rocks; water flowing at different speeds creates visual interest.

If you have different levels in your Oriental garden, you can have a series of descending boulders down which a small waterfall cascades. Even if a brook or waterfall is beyond your budget, Oriental landscaping often includes a dry" streambed" of white stones or sand, carefully raked to resemble flowing water.

The final touches for your Oriental landscaping can one or two "meditations benches" on which visitors can relax and enjoy the surroundings, and lighting carefully hidden among the plantings and rocks, or, if you prefer, from Oriental lanterns. About Author :

You can also find more info on Front Yard Landscaping and Landscaping Garden. Onlinelandscapedesigns.com is a comprehensive resource to get help in landscape issues.


Article Source : Articleburn.com