zen gardens

The art of garden-making in Japan goes back to the 6th century, when hill and pond gardens were introduced from China and Korea, where aristocrats gathered to enjoy poetry and games alongside a stream. Japanese monks further developed gardens into a high art over hundreds of years of temple gardening. They emptied their minds of worldly distractions and came to know themselves in their gardens. Rocks and Stones bring powerful symbolism to a Zen garden. …

…the rocks placed in the garden, represent Japan itself. Various colors of sand can also be used as in real rock gardens - black to give an imposing formality, brown for a subdued and refined look and the purest white to set off the rocks even more starkly. Spontaneity and experimentation are the key. The Zen garden is after all a launching pad - a place where thoughts take off from and come back to.