Green and lush gardens make outdoor spaces beautiful and relaxing, but the usual problem is maintaining them. Gardens need proper maintenance to preserve their vibrant color and health. At Mystic Water Gardens we have a solution for you. We design and install a Zen garden that create natural, soothing, and therapeutic atmosphere in your outdoor area while also helping to reduce maintenance costs. This low-maintenance garden setup is perfect for small and large landscaped properties.

Rock Zen Garden

One of the elements of a Zen garden is rock. If you want to highlight the use of this element, then we can create a rock garden for you. A Zen rock garden creates a rugged look but still offers natural beauty. Adding rocks is a great way to jazz up an average garden; rocks come in various shapes, colors, and textures, so they help establish the right mood for your garden scene. In a Japanese rock garden, rocks symbolize mountains, living creatures, or waterfalls, rivers, and streams. These rocks are rarely arranged in straight lines and are designed to emphasize the harmony of the composition. Rock gardens are low-maintenance and add a touch of natural subtlety to your surroundings.

Japanese Garden: A Place of Meditation
and comtemplation

Japanese Garden Design

Japanese gardens were first seen in Zen Buddhist temples, which are noted for their dry landscape setup and minimal-designed gardens. In recent years, miniature version have emerged featuring carefully placed rocks, moss, bonsai plants, ponds, sand or gravel, pruned trees and bushes, spiritual effigies, and strategically designed lighting. A Japanese garden evokes symbolism of nature and spiritual beliefs (Buddhism and Shinto), thus making it an ideal space for meditation and contemplation. A Zen garden is actually called “karesansui” in Japanese, which loosely translates to a “dry landscape.” While it is typical to find these Japanese rock gardens within Zen Buddhist temple grounds, they are now popular features in residential properties and commercial places.

If your crave a space for meditation and calm, a Japanese garden design is the perfect choice. A Zen garden promotes tranquility, harmony, and peace. It is based on these principles: miniature scale, Miegakure (concealment), Shakkei (borrowed scenery), and asymmetry. Gardens in miniature scale elements like mountains, rivers, and streams are represented using rocks, sand, and gravel. In Miegakure, garden features are concealed behind walls and structures, hills, and trees, all waiting to be discovered when a visitor follows the winding path. The Shakkei design technique uses the existing natural scenery such as plants and rocks to enhance the garden's aesthetic harmony. At Mystic Water Gardens, we have the expertise to work on these Japanese garden designs.

Japanese Garden Plants

A Japanese garden incorporates a careful selection of plants to capture the essence of nature. The common Japanese garden plants include flower and green trees, shrubs, flowers, mosses, bamboo, and ferns. While there are great options, you may still need the help of professionals to select the best type of plants for your garden. We can plant background trees such as evergreens, use focal and border trees, such as willow and tulip trees, give your flowering quince and yew hedges a trim, add colorful peonies and azaleas, and incorporate ground cover and texture into your garden using moss and Japanese Ardisia.

Zen Sand Garden: A Drought Solution

Another way to combat drought is to create a Zen sand garden in your outdoors. Sand and gravel embody water or clouds. White sands mean purity. But Zen sand gardens also use brown, gray or blue-black colored sand. Sand is easier to work with, more compact, and more resilient.  

Zen Garden Pond

Zen gardens often include aquatic garden ponds. A Zen pond typically includes an ornamental carp or koi and aquatic plants like water lilies or lotus. This feature brings a sense of calm and peace to your outdoor space. Just let us know if you'd like this feature to be included in the garden design.

Zen Garden Bonsai

The typical Zen gardens that you see in Los Angeles use bonsai plants. These plants are grown in tray-like pots or small containers and help enhance the greenery of a landscape. Zen bonsai plants and trees are rich in symbolism and personify Japanese sensibilities and deep respect for nature. At Mystic Water Gardens, we pay careful attention to bonsai shapes and textures as they enhance the overall sense of balance and harmony in your landscape.

Zen Garden Buddha Figure

A Zen garden Buddha is another design element that can make your garden look authentic. The key rule when placing a garden Buddha statue is to provide it a raised platform, a high perch or a mantle. Take care not to surround the statue with pointless objects. An ideal setting is to place the garden Buddha statue (whatever the size) to gaze over your plants, pond, and garden. The statue will definitely enrich the growth and beauty of your garden by channeling positive energies. The garden Buddha statue that we recommend is ideal for your Zen garden since it is made from durable materials. (See the Buddha sitting in the center gazing at the pond).

Zen Garden Pagoda

A Zen garden pagoda is a tiered tower used as a sacred place of meditation and worship. Pagodas are a great addition to your Zen gardens. We will help you choose the perfect pagoda that will suit the size of your garden. Miniature pagodas are great additions to small spaces while bigger ones are recommended for large-sized gardens.

Zen Garden Lighting

Zen gardens also use lighting where decorative lanterns are often placed in waiting places (machi-ai in Japanese), pagodas, near ponds and other water features, and even hung in trees. Nowadays, property owners favor ornamental LED lights for their added benefits. LED Zen lighting dazzles a warm, inviting light in your gardens and helps you save on electricity.

We are Your Zen Garden Experts

At Mystic Water Gardens, you can rely on our expertise to design, build, and install this special type of garden. Our Zen garden design will make your outdoors a perfect place for relaxation and meditation. It will also improve the aesthetic appeal and market value of your property. Contact us now at (818) 424-6836 and let us fill your landscape with positive energies all year round.