Echoes of Historic Japanese Gardens Ana Oliveira
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©Ana Oliveira ©Ana Echoes of historic Japanese gardens Ana Oliveira Fig. 1 The karesansui at Tofuku-ji s a Kew Diploma A student, my travel scholarship enabled me to travel to Kyoto to see Oliveira ©Ana some historic Japanese gardens. In addition to my passionate interest in the gardens, this voyage was also related to my dissertation about whether historic Japanese gardens can show us ways to reduce the stress we experience in urban environments. Fig. 2 Shugakuin, a shakkei garden Japanese gardens aim to capture the essence of nature and refine it into its most essential elements, often in a miniaturised Oliveira ©Ana form. They encourage the visitor to slow down, meditate or contemplate. These objectives are mainly achieved through a balanced composition of hard landscaping and plant choices. I wanted to know if these traditional methods could be incorporated into contemporary design. Fig. 3 Katsura, a stroll garden 251 Heading to Kyoto was With the help of Yuri clipped to impart a sense of crucial, as it allowed me to Ugaya, a specialist in Kyoto permanence and longevity see most styles of gardens gardens, I also learned that, (much like a rock – fig. 4), but and to minimise travel at while in the West a garden is can also be allowed to grow the same time. The main mainly an aesthetic exercise, freely to soften the hard lines garden styles included the in Japan a garden without of a building and the hard karesansui (gravel and rock an allegorical narrative is landscape (fig. 7). gardens [fig. 1]), shakkei pointless. For instance, a Pines, especially Pinus (borrowed scenery [fig. 2]), group of rocks can become thunbergii, P. parviflora, and and kaiyu-shiki-teien (stroll a mountain range, or a fish P. densiflora are a staple of gardens [fig. 3]). I saw 23 swimming up a stream will most gardens (figs 1, 2, 3), as gardens in total, which turn into a dragon. they are associated with long enabled me to see patterns Plants are also full of life (cuttings don’t wilt after and distinguishing features, meanings and can greatly being taken), a very important but also allowed me to influence spaces and moods. concept in Japanese culture. contemplate, write, or merely The use of conifers and They are also clipped in the observe how the Japanese evergreens is particularly style of cloud pruning, which experience each place. common. They are most often is the manual removal of needles to shape the layered branches and let in light to the lower ones. Another interesting plant ©Ana Oliveira ©Ana is Nandina domestica, whose Japanese common name ‘nan ten’ means to repel bad spirits. In domestic gardens it is placed in a north-west corner for that specific purpose. The concepts of restraint and frugality are very important in Japanese culture, and these are displayed in their gardens Fig. 4 The topiary seen at Sanzen-in and planting designs. Showy plants such as azaleas, camellias or cherries are common, but are used merely ©Ana Oliveira ©Ana as a gentle reminder of the changing seasons (fig. 5). Bedding plants or perennials are not used at all. Perhaps the best- known flower of them all is the cherry blossom. Unfortunately, I arrived one week too late and I missed the spectacular flower displays (it was the earliest flowering Fig. 5 Rhododendrons used as a focal point in Sanzen-in season in 80 years!). 226 Cherries have a profound meaning associated with them, as their short-lived blossoms remind us how Oliveira ©Ana fleeting life is. They are not just used in gardens, but also in streets and public parks, and their flowering season is a major social event (fig. 6). This is a very interesting example of how important plants can be in human culture, and how they remind us to retain our sense of wonder for life, regardless of how many times Fig. 6 A late flowering cherry in Ohara, near Kyoto we may see events repeated. Apart from plants, what also interested me was how landscaping features in a garden can make us relax Oliveira ©Ana and slow down. For instance, narrow paths or stepping stones force us to walk more slowly. In the garden at Katsura (fig. 3) the stepping stones are used to draw our attention to our steps and away from the surrounding landscape. As we arrive at wider stone we are prompted to look around, and a Fig. 7 The view from the temple at Enko-ji wonderful view presents itself. Zen gardens are also mask surrounding noise soothing. They are often such as vehicle traffic. viewed from one side only, A garden with views which produces a theatrical doesn’t need to be very Oliveira ©Ana effect. Visiting them is like large either. Murin-an is stepping into a live painting a small stroll/borrowed- with a designated seating scenery garden that provides area (figs 7, 10, 11). They views and surprises through are viewed from a temple, careful landscaping and ensuring shelter and comfort. planting design (fig. 9). One is persuaded to sit, I found that the contemplate, and slow down. Japanese people still enjoy Other commonly used the old gardens as havens of features are waterfalls tranquillity. At Shisen-dō I (fig. 8). They recall a saw garden visitors relaxing mountain stream or cascade; in the peaceful atmosphere at they add sound; and they the end of their working day. Fig. 8 The waterfall at Shugakuin 273 ©Ana Oliveira ©Ana Oliveira ©Ana Fig. 9 Murin-an Fig. 10 Zuihō-in ©Ana Oliveira ©Ana Fig.11 Ryoan-ji Some contemporary garden styles. Although can indeed soothe the human Japanese gardens are very cloud pruning and extensive mind. I saw that a garden similar to historic ones. use of topiary may not of contemplation doesn’t Zuihō-in created in 1961, always fit into a western have to require a large space, looked remarkably like garden, the spectacular as many Japanese gardens much older gardens such as displays of cherry blossom, are often a small enclosed the 15th century Ryoan-ji and the careful use of outdoor room. showing how the designs and flowering plants in a garden These strategies can be references of ancient times setting (sparingly, so as to applied in densely populated are still relevant for the enhance their impact) are urban environments such contemporary Japanese definitely elements we can as pocket gardens, hospitals (figs 10 and 11). learn from. and mental-health facilities. On this trip I learned that I found that using My trip proved historic there are parallels between running water, manipulating Japanese gardens can inspire some core Japanese design views, or laying paths to slow current and future designs principles and western us down, are strategies which after all. Ana Oliveira is a landscape architect and Kew Diploma student with an interest in historic gardens. She has previously worked at Stowe in Buckinghamshire and Serralves Park in Portugal. She benefited from a Kenneth Black Bursary grant on her trip to Japan. 428.