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Perhaps the most beautiful expression of Zen philosophy is a Japanese garden. Contrary to the popular perception, a Japanese garden is not just a collection of beautiful flowers. There are ponds, bridges, large and small stones all present in an arrangement that express the Zen philosophy of harmony.

Planting and caring for these gardens is considered an art in Japan. Flowers form an essential but small part of the overall arrangement. The masters of this art use sand, stones and other small statues to bring out the beauty of the floral arrangements. Indeed there are rare “gardens” in Japan, composed entirely of stone and sand which are considered to be the pride of Japan. Flowers, however, are the soul of a Japanese garden. Majority of these Japan flowers are indigenous to Japan. Many foreigners have sent a flower to Japan with requests to include it into a garden, but the results are not very popular.

The art of gardening is very much alive in Japan. Flowers are an essential part of any domestic garden. Popular Japanese flowers include lilies, camellia, magnolia and various roses. Rose, being a foreign addition to the list of Japanes flowers is not a native of Japan. Lotus, because of its religious significance in Buddhism, is at the top of the list of Japanese flowers. A popular section of many Japanese gardens is the fruit orchard. This is often a separate section of a garden in Japan. Flowers of cherry are especially prized for their delicate pink color. The shedding of these flowers is a sight that many foreigners remember from their visits to Japan. Peach is another popular choice, prized for its small colorful flowers.

In a typical family garden, Japanes flowers are often arranged in a formation around a small shrine. This shrine honors the ancestors of the family. This part of the garden is the site of the ceremonies honoring the dead ancestors. The central part of the garden is a small pond in which lotuses are planted. Other features include the artfully carved benches, statues and stones of various shapes. The arrangement of all these elements reflects the concept of harmony as per Zen philosophy. The size of the garden dictates the presence of the above mentioned elements of the garden. The family shrine is present in even the smallest of the gardens, while the pond and benches are often the features of large or public gardens.

In Japan, flowers are considered to carry religious and esthetics significance. In classical stories, Japanese flowers are the gifts from the gods and goddesses who bestowed them to their favorites as gifts. This is why, in a Japanese garden, the floral arrangement takes priority over everything else. The Japan flowers are mixed and arranged according to the rules of laid down by Zen masters. These masters originated the art and wrote extensively about the arrangements and layouts of various gardens.

A Japanese garden is a work of art in itself. These gardens are rapidly gaining popularity in the outside world and there are a number of well known Japanese gardens outside Japan.