3. Natural Gardens
Natural gardens are one of the simplest styles of Japanese gardens. They rarely use ornaments such as lanterns or statues, and in place of bridges, gardeners often lay a few flat stones to cross over any water. Natural gardens try to replicate a woodsy scene as closely as possible. Their designers believe that the feeling of being in the woods and the accompanying solitude encourages deep thought and peace of mind.
Natural gardens usually have a full overhead canopy created by their many unpruned trees, so they are full of shade-loving plants like ferns, bamboo and azaleas. Moss is often used as the main ground cover. The abundance of green plants, combined with the overhead canopy, makes these gardens look like a green canvas interlaced with winding streams. The paths in these gardens are not sketched out or paved but are instead formed with a natural substance like dirt, which makes them appear untrodden. Although they might be very close to civilization, these gardens are designed to make you feel as though you are a million miles away, both physically and mentally.
Read about how water can also quiet your mind and body on the next page.
