Journey to a Japanese Garden

I’ve never had much of a green thumb, but this year when Spring finally came around, I suddenly felt the urge to create a Japanese garden.  For those of you who don’t know me personally, I’ve always had a bit of an obsession with all things Japanese. 

Once upon a time when I was living in Fremantle, Western Australia, I furnished and decorated my apartment in a traditional Japanese style; very minimalist, with a futon bed, screens to hide my mess and divide the room, painted scrolls on the walls, tatami mats on the floor, I had no chairs, just cushions to sit on and a low laying table in my dining room.  All my crockery had a Japanese style and I even ate with chopsticks.  

I eventually moved from that place and got rid of almost everything, but not long afterwards, I turned my dream into a reality and I travelled to Japan, twice in one year in fact.  It was an incredible experience, better than I could have ever imagined.  I spent most of my time in Tokyo, but also travelled to Kyoto and before returning home I even worked at a Japanese bed and breakfast by the sea in a little surfing town called Onjuku.  

Since then Japan has always had a special place in my heart, and Japanese culture and aesthetics seem to be a reoccurring theme in my life.

So...getting back to my urge to create a Japanese garden... when the idea sprung to my mind, the first thing I did was go to China town and buy a miniature bonsai tree from a plant store.  

I then took out some books on Japanese gardens from the library.  I was mostly looking for some inspiration from the pictures, but one of the books opened me up to a whole new world -  “The art of Japanese Stone Appreciation”.   This is a tradition that I was never aware of before, but my curiosity was now ablaze.

I’ve always loved rocks and stones, to the point that at the end of high school I actually chose Geology as one of my options for a university degree.  Needless to say, I was a little naïve about what Geology involved.  I thought to myself, I love rocks and geology meant I would learn about rocks, so it seemed like a good match for me.  But when I went to the geology department, I soon realised it was a very male dominated industry, and one that was more about mining and money making than a passion for rocks.  So that was the end of that dream. 

I discovered from my borrowed book, that there is a long history of stone appreciation in Japan, a tradition called “Suiseki”.  It was originally an idea imported from China but one that took its own shape in Japan from about 530AD onwards.  Heres a definition:

Suiseki are small, naturally formed stones admired for their beauty and for their power to suggest a scene from nature or an object closely associated with nature. Among the most popular types of suiseki (pronounced suu-ee-seck-ee) are those that suggest a distant mountain, a waterfall, an island, a thatched hut, or an animal.

Suiseki stones are often displayed alongside a bonsai tree.  They are a work of art and a point of spiritual inspiration for the viewer.  In Zen Buddhism they are often a focus point for meditation and it is believed that these stones become a means to spiritual refinement, inner awareness, and enlightenment. 

When I read this I suddenly had a flashback to my trip to Kyoto, when I stayed in a Zen Buddhist temple.  Early every morning we had to meditate for an hour and stare out at the rocks in the garden.   According to the monk who lived there, the rock formations suggested a waterfall and a carp in the water.  I realize now that the rocks in the garden were suiseki and that the meditation practice was connected to an ancient Zen tradition.  With this knowledge, my experience now holds a whole new meaning for me.

Heres a little snippet of me at the temple, stuffing my face with a chocolate biscuit and telling the monk i could imagine that any of the rocks in the garden look like a carp...I don't think I understood the point of meditation in those days :)

I found all of this very inspiring and decided to see if there was anyone in Toronto who had a passion for the Japanese traditions of Bonsai and Suiseki art.  I was delighted to discover that Toronto has its very own Bonsai Society and by chance they had their annual Bonsai and Suiseki exhibition this past weekend at the Botanical Gardens. 

Attending this event became my adventure for the week.  With the risk of letting my inner geek out of the closet, I have to say, I loved it!  I had never been to the botanical gardens before so it was a real treat to discover this beautiful little corner of the city. I convinced my adopted Canadian father, Rick, to come with me...

We walked around the gardens…

Checked out the Bonsai display…

And went on a little shopping spree in the Bonsai sales room…

I still have a lot more to learn, with regards to taking care of bonsai trees.  In fact I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into when I purchased them.  They require a lot of commitment! Watering alone, requires some strict discipline.  I’ve managed to avoid responsibility my whole life, so I’m not sure if I can handle the pressure.  The life of these plants is now dependent on me -  wish me luck! Or rather, wish them luck :)

My next step is to find a Suiseki.  Finding a rock that resonates with me is no easy task and one that I’m sure will be an adventure of its own.   I’ll be sure to report back to you when I find it and when my bonsai and suiseki display is finally complete. 

Until then,

Sayonara

NNxx