However large or small Japanese gardens have at least one entrance and the simplest explanation of this is that when entering the garden you are part of a seperate world. When making a japanese garden this is something that you must consider.
If you have armarked a space for your Japanese garden then really think about this important ingredient – the entrance. Think carefully about the boundary of your garden – will it have a stone or brick wall on any of the sides, what will the shape be and where are you planning on putting plants, trees, shrubs, pathways etc.
Entrances and boundaries are ideally identified in positional terms first. I always advise the drawing of a design sletch before any construction begins. This will allow you to be very detailed and clear in your thoughts for making a Japanese garden AND will help you to reconcile your space with your plans when you are standing by your bare piece of land.
A plan really works. It crystalises your design in your minds eye and is very helpful with the placement of entrances and boundaries. Bamboo is very popular for boundaries but to keep it authentic try and use a Japanese bamboo – a lot of display Japanese gardens around the world make a big deal of Bamboo ( quite rightly) but more often than not it will be a Chinese bamboo!
Boundaries signify the end of one world and the beginning of the next – your garden. You may want a pathway leading to a gate or more than one pathway. They should alwyas be at right-angle with no smooth corners as the Japanese believe that demons need smooth corners to be able to change direction.
A path leading to a gate or from it is a great place to start planning when making a Japanese garden , look at it as the first few correct pieces in a jigsaw and you build your design and garden ingredients from there.
Boundaries can also be used bewteen different areas of your garden and bamboo fences make a simple and relatively cheap way of doing it and they are pleasing on the eye because of their authenticity.
One very important principle in Japanese gardening to consider is that everything you do in your garden in terms of design and maintenance should appear to not have been interfered with by humans – its appearance should be natural.
