ONCE you have the basic bones of the garden de-
fined—hardscape, topography and water—then you're
ready to choose the plants. Remember, a Zen gar-
den is not filled with plants. You'll want to care-
fully select some specimen plants that add intrigue,
color and texture. The few, well-chosen plants will
become the stars of the garden. Plants of the Zen
garden reflect the change of seasons. Azaleas and cherry blossoms
define the spring, Japanese maples the fall. The rest of the year the
gardens are noticeably lacking in flowers, with the emphasis shifted to
sculptural evergreens. These evergreens offer year-round beauty with
a unique appeal under snowfall. You can still achieve this same gar-
den character with some judiciously placed perennial flowers, which
add interest without diverging from the traditional landscape.
Zen garden's typically extend a living
space into an oasis of peace—we could
all use a little more of that. Homeown-
ers creating a dry landscape improve their
property and save time and money on
maintenance and water. It's a win for you
and for the environment.
SELECT a spot in your yard
for the garden or place is in
an out of the way side spot
for more privacy.
Sketch out a design. You can
get ideas by visiting Asian
gardens at a local botanical
garden, looking at photos of Zen gardens
you like, and searching online for down-
loadable plans.
The Prep
The Plants