1. Flat Sea Gardens
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The gravel around this stone is raked to symbolize waves in the sea in this flat sea garden.
Despite what the name suggests, flat sea gardens are not water hazards. In stark contrast to the profusion of green in natural gardens and the abundance of water in strolling pond gardens, flat sea gardens actually feature no water and little vegetation, save for the characteristic black pines that serve as their backdrop.
The "sea" here is made of a wide expanse of raked sand or fine gravel. The sea is raked at the edges to suggest the pattern of waves on a shoreline. Unlike raking leaves, where the goal is to collect piles, the point of raking sand or gravel is to comb through it to create the desired pattern. To add to the appearance of a vast sea, the flat sea gardens possess "shorelines" of stones and boulders, as well as "islands" of vegetation. Sometimes the stones in the raked area are placed in a way that suggests a familiar parable, or story.
Like several of the other gardens, benches are placed at particular points in this garden for contemplation and rest. Most flat sea gardens are observed from the edges and seldom have walkways venturing into the raked area.
For more information about the Japanese gardens described in this article, you'll want to dig through the links on the next page.
