Gardening Services Guide

Author Archive

When the East meets West, instead of fusion we sometimes get confusion. But,
once that moment is passed a new awareness creeps in and the joys of a new
culture spread before us. So, it is with Japanese gardens. The ideal
Japanese garden is a statement of simplicity and form, often requiring a
complete change of mindset to establish, but later finding it to be simpler
to maintain and appreciate. Japanese gardening supplies will include many
materials we commonly don’t think are gardening supplies, because of the
attention to detail, simplicity, and form.

Rocks Are Garden Ornaments?

While a Western garden may appreciate a big boulder as a central point of a
garden, the Japanese garden relies on more subtle Japanese gardening
supplies. Often, the Japanese use flat stones or variously shaped boulders
with lichens and patinas to build a garden structure with beauty. In
addition, the use of sand in a Japanese garden is used with curved rake
patterns to represent the ocean. But, sand is hardly what we think of as a
surface material for a garden. In Japan, it is used for just that.

So, you may end up finding yourself at a rock quarry more than a home and
garden store to find just the perfect Japanese gardening supplies.

Water

Since Japan is an island nation, they do have many beautiful water gardens.
Since the Japanese link to accentuate the natural world, things like
minerals, water, sand, and plants are usually the focal points of the
garden. A small pond here, or trickling waterfall there, and this element
can take one into a meditative state all by itself. If one can’t build a
pond, bamboo containers filled with water plants and a pump can help bring
that element into the Japanese themed garden.

Sculptures

One of the ways Japanese show their love of form is through artfully
sculpturing the terrain into artificial hills. Placing mounds of earth here
and there is a lovely way to bring a natural beauty to a backyard garden.

However, there are many Japanese gardening supplies that consist of tiny
pagodas, lanterns, and screens. None of these should detract from the
overall serenity or naturalness of the garden, though, to maintain its
Zen-like state of peace. In Japan, gardens are meant to merge the spiritual
with the physical, and can be still be done by picking Japanese gardening
supplies that bring these aspects into the garden.

Trees and plants

Most Japanese trees and plants for the garden are quite understated by
Western standards. Japanese maple is a favorite of Westerners because of its
showy bronze and red leaves. Bonsai can seem tiny and plain by Western
standards, but are perfectly at home in a Japanese garden. Don’t limit your
choices to bushes and trees. Add mosses and creepers to your Japanese
gardening supplies to add naturalness to stone steps or stone sculpture.

Hire someone to do a water garden for you, and very likely, it will be an
expensive affair. Do-it-yourself (DIY) and you may find yourself pleasantly
surprised by how inexpensive and easy water gardening supplies have become.
Whether it’s a container water garden or a backyard pond project, there is a
wealth of information for anyone who dreams of the sounds of quiet
waterfalls at home.

Container Water Gardens

There’s something very satisfying about creating our own water gardens from
scratch. It’s a creative endeavor that allows us to explore our
personalities and see them manifest in the final design. Many people like
the Asian-themed water gardens and these can range from calm still waters
with lotus flowers floating in a bin to more dynamic tiered waterfalls in
large vertical sculptures.

To assess what you will need for water gardening supplies, depends largely
on the project you are undertaking. A simple container water garden can be
made with indoors by simply rooting plant cuttings in water on your
windowsill. A larger one can be made with plastic containers or lined
containers that hold water pond plants like water hyacinths or bog plants.
Add a pump, and your container can even have the pleasant sound of trickling
water.

Larger Water Gardens

Larger ponds will take more complex water gardening supplies. The amount of
work also increases substantially. However, many companies now sell complete
do-it-yourself kits that come complete with instructions. If you aren’t too
concerned how long it will be before your water feature is ready, then buy
one of these and do it as a weekend project. It may take several weekends,
but it will be done eventually.

The water gardening supplies for ponds come with liners for the hole to
retain water, plastic tubing, skimmers and filters, and other water
treatment and pond materials.

Stocking And Maintaining Your Water Garden

Once the container is ready, water plants have to be selected and fish might
be desirable for a complete ecosystem. However, putting too many fish will
increase the amount of wastes in the pond that can overtax the pond filters
and promotes algae growth.

Algae are a situation that can occur and needs treatment occasionally.
Include in your list of water gardening supplies, products to prevent or
clear algae that contain beneficial bacteria for your pond. Barley straw is
also sometimes used to reduce algae.

Whether a large pond water garden or a small container water garden, the
water gardening supplies are now easy to get online and to do it yourself.
With just a little instruction, a beginner can become an avid water gardener
in no time.