DIY oriental style garden (Japanese, Chinese, Korean) - decoration. Chinese style garden - the embodiment of oriental harmony Small garden in Chinese style

Chinese style of landscape design, like everything else Chinese culture, is rightfully considered one of the most ancient. The gardens of the Celestial Empire fascinate with their originality, because their design principles were formed in conditions of absolute isolation, relying exclusively on the postulates of Taoism and Confucianism.
There is nothing superfluous in the Chinese home park. Here everything is thought out to the smallest detail, and every, even the smallest element, plays important role, having your own symbolic meaning.

Feng Shui Philosophy

The Chinese style of landscape design is quite specific. Its ideological basis was the philosophy of Feng Shui. The main postulates of this doctrine related to the development of the territory are as follows:

Absolute harmony should reign in all elements of the garden and park composition, embodying the balanced interaction of the five elements (water, earth, wood, fire, metal). This rule also determines the ratio of water and land, and the volumes of free and occupied space.
Each of the elements that make up the overall design picture is equally important and has its own purpose.
Chinese garden– this is a world in miniature. Its integrity and versatility are achieved with the help of multidimensional perspective and “collapsed” space. Here, in constant unity and confrontation, there are two life-affirming principles - male and female.
There must be a main, central point around which movement occurs. It is located, as a rule, on a hill.
Absolutely everything that is planted, built, installed, and arranged in a Chinese garden must be filled with life-giving Qi energy, competently directed by the owner or landscape designer in the right direction.

Chinese style concept in landscape design

The main idea of Chinese landscape design is to reproduce a miniature model of the world on the existing territory. In essence, it is a colorful mixture of landscape and ethnic styles, based on a harmonious combination of natural beauties with certain decorative inclusions. However, the line between natural and man-made here is so thin that it will be very difficult for an inexperienced viewer to determine it.

In a Chinese garden, a person does not oppose himself to nature, but only delicately directs its manifestations in the right direction. In a constant search for perfection, adherents of ancient philosophies create picturesque landscapes around themselves, ideal for meditation and a feeling of absolute unity with the outside world.

Features of the arrangement

The design of a site in the Chinese style provides for the organization of the most comfortable conditions to achieve harmony with nature and with oneself. In this extraordinary place, equally beautiful in any weather, regardless of the time of day, a person should rest both soul and body.

A striking feature of Chinese garden design is the illusion of limitless space. New views are sure to open from each observation deck. Any, even the smallest piece of the garden, attracts the eye, creating a mood. Unmaintained or unoccupied areas are not permitted here.

The landscape of such gardens is ensured by smooth lines, smoothed forms, natural silhouettes and freely growing greenery.

As a rule, a site decorated in Chinese style can be recognized by the following features:

planning in accordance with the teachings of Feng Shui;
integrity and completeness of compositions;
lack of plastic in design;
abundance of water and stones;
the presence of a tea gazebo, moon gates and garden windows;
internal garden walls;
stylized entrance gate.

Chinese household plots differ significantly from European ones in their content. Oriental designers place the main emphasis on water and stones, while vegetation, and especially flowers, are just a useful addition.

Landscape compositions

Despite the fact that all landscape compositions in the Chinese style have a single philosophical concept, they are still divided into several types. Depending on the emotional impact provided, there are:

Laughing Garden. Attracts attention with a rich color palette and richness of colors. Everything here is bright - plants, paths, and buildings.
Idyllic garden. This is a place of peace and tranquility. Characteristic signs– a cozy gazebo, quiet water surface, discreet colors.
Menacing garden. It personifies the unbridled majesty of the elements, expressed by seething streams, noisy waterfalls, twisted trees and mighty boulders.

It is noteworthy that these zones must simultaneously be present on the site. Systematically replacing each other, they make the Chinese garden multifaceted, reminiscent of the real world, gradually revealing its secrets to the inquisitive traveler.

Site planning

Since everything in a Chinese garden is subject to the Feng Shui theory of balance, the landscape arrangement here should be carried out in accordance with its ideas:

Southern part. Responsible for love and everything connected with it. Must be marked with fire and red (lights).
North side. Affects work and career growth. Provides for the presence of stones, water and black and blue shades.
East. An area for reflection and learning. Traditionally furnished with wood and complemented by greenery.
West. Friendship territory. Mandatory attributes are metal and shades of white.
Center of the site. Abode of mental and physical health.

By adjusting the type and number of components, you can arrange each zone, weakening or, conversely, enhancing its energetic impact.

Traditional elements

When arranging a site in the Chinese style, one should not forget about certain traditional design elements. These include:

Internal (garden) walls. Made of stone or painted in white, they serve as a spectacular backdrop for vegetation, while simultaneously performing a function.

They are large, human-sized, randomly shaped openings in the inner walls of the garden. Dividing the space, they help to discover new landscapes as you move through the site, at the same time serving as a kind of frame for “living pictures”.

Garden windows. These are various holes in the garden walls that allow you to contemplate picturesque paintings natural world. They can have two versions:
- in the form of a worthy frame for the landscape opening behind it;
- in the form of a decorative lattice made of metal, stone or wood, often with intricate patterns.

Stones. Endowed with soul and personify masculinity Jan. Old blocks and samples with complex shapes are of particular value. They are located both individually and in groups. A mountain of stones in the Celestial Empire is a symbol of immortality.
Traditionally, lake limestone is widely used in landscape design, showing traces of long-term exposure to water on its surface, which means it has a past.

Reservoirs. Along with stones, they are an integral part of the Chinese landscape, and symbolize the feminine principle. Moreover, life-giving moisture must be present in two states - calm and moving. In the garden you need to find a place for both a pond or lake (preferably with fish and aquatic plants), and for a stream or even a waterfall.
Stylized bridges. Connecting the banks of water spaces, they can be very different: stepwise - for modest streams, curved - for small streams, zigzag - for crossing large bodies of water. Traditional building materials are wood and stone.

Gazebos and pavilions. Notable for the absence of walls, curved roof and rich decoration. They are usually built on the shore or in the very center of the pond. Designed for relaxation, meditation and contemplation. The form of the building depends on the surrounding landscape and symbolic meaning.

This is a miniature landscape composition made of stones and sand, located near a fence or on a special table in the middle of the garden.

Traditionally they are made in red, sometimes decorated with hieroglyphs. They can be made from a variety of materials - metal, wood, paper, glass. Placed along walls, inside and outside gazebos. They are used both to illuminate the space and as decoration.

Stone lions. A traditional attribute of a Chinese garden, designed to protect the owner from negative energy that visitors can bring with them. They are located in pairs directly at the doors of the house or in front of the entrance gates.

Entrance gate. They have a rectangular shape and are complemented by a characteristic curved roof. They are usually painted bright red or brown.

According to the teachings of Feng Shui, all energy in space moves rhythmically. Based on this, garden paths must be winding, especially those that lead directly to the house. A straight line in the Chinese landscape has the same negative impact as a lightning strike.
To disperse or neutralize hostile energy flows, in particularly “dangerous” places, arches, garden walls or moon gates are installed.
The paths themselves are always paved with a hard surface. These could be:
- colored pebbles arranged in wavy patterns or intricate designs;
- cobblestones;
- figured tiles.

Garden furniture

The choice of garden furniture in the Chinese style is made taking into account its appropriateness in a particular area. It is simply not accepted to place benches in open areas. If this is a place for conversation, it should be covered with an umbrella or a stylized canopy that provides protection from rain or scorching sun.
It is important to remember that broken furniture attracts trouble, so it has no place in a real Chinese garden.

Chinese style garden plants

The flora in the Chinese garden is very diverse. However, when planning it, it is important to remember that every tree, every bush, and every flower carries a certain energy, influencing the surrounding space accordingly.

Particularly significant among the trees are: pine, symbolizing longevity, bamboo - the personification of perseverance, as well as peach and plum, giving happiness. They are usually found in every garden, along with firs, willows and cherries.

Trees are often planted individually. In case of group plantings, the number of plants should be odd.

Truly ancient or artificially aged specimens with uneven trunks, which usually become the centers of thematic compositions, are highly respected.

There are also shrubs in the Chinese garden that attract with the brightness of their foliage or their decorative effect during flowering (magnolias, hydrangeas, forsythia, jasmine).

Flowers grown are spectacular, but at the same time sophisticated. However, there should not be too many of them. These are usually roses, peonies, irises, chrysanthemums and lotuses. Flowering plants are often surrounded by greenery, giving the compositions a picturesque sophistication.

Fencing

One of striking features Chinese style in landscape design is the absence of clear visual boundaries of space. Therefore, garden fences are camouflaged in all possible ways:

Part of the wall is decorated with greenery, reminiscent of a screen behind which a new panorama is about to open.
A fragment of the fence plays the role of a screen, on which the shadows of trees growing nearby fall picturesquely.
A section of the fence can be designed in the form of a wall of a Buddhist temple supposedly located next door.
Stone compositions also come to the rescue, attracting the eye and distracting attention from the background fence.

Chinese style in landscape design - video:

So that all efforts to create a Chinese garden are not in vain, and the beneficial energy does not leave the site, it is very important to closely monitor order throughout its entire territory. It is necessary to regularly remove dry branches, fallen leaves and wilted plants so that nothing gets in the way of Qi energy, allowing it to circulate freely within a given space, providing the owner with well-being and prosperity.

Chinese culture is marked by antiquity, originality and a certain originality. Landscape design can be safely called one of the manifestations of Chinese culture, which fully reflects all its features. In the culture of the Celestial Empire, a special role is played by the teaching of Feng Shui, which harmoniously combines philosophy and daily life. In relation to the Chinese garden, the influence of Feng Shui is expressed in creating harmony between the elements of air, water, earth, as well as plants, hills, plains and, of course, man. The arrangement of a garden area, according to Feng Shui, is a reflection of the mental organization of its owner and is a kind of projection of his inner world.

Philosophy in the design of the green zone

A Chinese garden is most often a landscape garden in which each architectural element has its own symbolic meaning. A feature of the green zone can be called its characteristic hierarchy, the relationship of subordination between individual elements, with the obligatory observance of balance and harmony in the spirit of Feng Shui.

A garden with the mood of the Celestial Empire is the result of the efforts of man and nature, while man-made elements (buildings, sculptures, architectural forms small in size) surprisingly harmoniously become elements of the landscape, so that the artificial is sometimes not so easy to distinguish from the natural.

Mood concept

In a garden created according to Chinese philosophy, there is always a pronounced center in the form of a dominant composition, and the remaining elements are located around it. Although gardens in this style have a single concept, there are many interesting ramifications. One of them is called “laughing gardens”. They are distinguished by rich colors and a wide color palette. Moreover, even such elements as buildings, paths, alleys are made in bright color scheme.

“Laughing Gardens” are philosophically and artistically contrasted with “menacing” ones, which are a reflection of the formidable power of unbridled elements. Their peculiar beauty and harmony is expressed in the form of twisted trees, cascading waterfalls, and boulders of stone ready to collapse at any moment.

"Idyllic Garden" - another view emotional state Chinese garden. All elements of the composition fulfill the task of establishing calm and peace in the soul, which is facilitated by dim colors, the calming surface of the pond, on an island in which you can retire in a cozy gazebo. It is noteworthy that all three of the above moods can be present in one green zone.

Solutions for a garden in the style of the Celestial Empire (photo)

Chinese garden, where to look for its origins? The history of the Chinese garden goes back more than three thousand years. The first mentions of it date back to the time of the creation of the Great Wall of China. The Chinese garden refers to the huge gardens of the ruling dynasty, which were laid out in order to impress, and the smaller gardens of officials, cultural figures and artists.

Initially these were areas with a natural environment. In the first century they began to be cultivated and given landscape compositions. The first flowering of landscape art occurred in the 10th-12th centuries, the second period was the 13th-14th century, at which time the Yiheyuan Palace Park, the Park of Tranquil Rest or Preserving Harmony and the Imperial Garden in Beijing were founded, from that moment on the center of the garden and its main attribute becomes water: lake, pond, waterfall, fountain, streams. The development of garden art continued until the 19th century.

The final division into imperial and private gardens was completed in the 6th century.

Briefly about the philosophy of the Chinese garden, we can say the following: it is the unity of two opposite principles, male and female, in constant balance and confrontation. They harmoniously complement each other; one cannot exist without the other. They are different in essence, but at the same time united.

The Chinese garden is the very naturalness of nature, its pristine state.

In the Chinese landscape style, man is not opposed to nature, does not interfere in its development, but only corrects and adjusts certain aspects. He exists in unity with it, this is especially noticeable with the advent of Buddhism in China, during this period a person tries to achieve the perfection of the soul through meditation, and the garden helps him in this, it gives spiritual unity with the natural environment.

Chinese gardens have become firmly in fashion over the past few years. They are gaining particular popularity due to the expansion of areas allocated for individual housing construction. A Chinese garden can be laid out and designed even on sloping areas.

Chinese style garden and its photo

The garden in the Chinese style is arranged according to certain canons that go back centuries. In the center of the garden there is always water, which often occupies more than half of it; closed courtyards and shady corners located along the perimeter of water features are independent spaces flowing into each other. The main advantage of the Chinese garden is its naturalness; symmetry and straight lines are impossible in it, everything that is absent in nature. Stones are an indispensable element of a Chinese garden. They can stand alone or in a group, they are complemented, they can be located or.

A Chinese garden is unthinkable without architectural structures scattered throughout the estate, each with its own, strictly defined purpose. For a walk through the garden, there is a route that connects the garden compositions into a single whole, revealing garden pictures to the guest one after another in a certain sequence - this is a kind of scenario for a garden performance. Chinese garden organizers wisely advised learning from nature, absorbing some ideas while traveling around the surrounding area. Don’t blindly copy the beauty around you, learn from it, get inspired and come up with something of your own.

Look at the Chinese-style garden in the photos, which illustrate the project as a whole and its component elements:

Photo gallery

Chinese style in landscape design

An example of the implementation of a project based on the Chinese style in landscape design.

Garden elements used:

1. front garden.

2. tree and shrub composition.

3. swimming pool.

6. peonies planted in paving modules.

7. Chinese gazebo.

The garden begins with a front garden located between the house and the access road, which is adjacent to the forest behind the fence. Varietal lilacs and forest pines and spruces growing in front of the house help the garden blend into its natural surroundings. Here, to the left of the front garden, there is an entrance and entrance to the site, as well as a parking space. The wide house plays the role of a kind of screen, separating the garden from the street.

Several bodies of water smoothly flow into one another; they are bordered by stunningly beautiful lines, along which expressive compositions of stones and coniferous plants. On the western bank, a large poultry house has been built from fine metal mesh, it consists of two parts on either side of a gazebo in Chinese motifs, which is adjacent to it. Pheasants winter well here in the open air.

Chinese style landscape

You can first look at the photos of Chinese gardens to understand that this style of minimalism allows you to equip even the most unsightly areas:

Photo gallery

The Chinese style landscape includes several unusual elements. Another structure in the Chinese spirit is an observation tower on the eastern bank for contemplation beautiful views garden - from here they are simply stunning. It also draws attention away from the sparsely decorated neighbor's house behind it. The tower takes up very little space on the ground, about one and a half square meters (1.5 m wide, 1 m deep). You can go upstairs using the comfortable wooden steps of a spiral staircase and already from the second floor you can enjoy the view of the surroundings. Built in a good location, painted brown, light and airy, the tower became the focal point of perception and decoration of the entire garden. One of its main elements is the roof. The large roof, covered with red-brown flexible tiles, flies into the sky thanks to its curved and raised corners, giving the garden a special expression.

Along the coastline of artificial reservoirs, which is 120 m, there are paths, walking along which you can admire the water and look at interesting plant compositions.

A variety of trees and shrubs are often planted along the long sides of the site, isolating the site from its neighbors on both sides. It is impressive when the shore is lined with stones, as in this garden.

It is a good idea to decorate some part of the shore of a reservoir with plants, but you should not fill the entire perimeter with plants; part of the shore should be free of them. Paving looks organic with stones. If you need to “draw” a path along a pebble bank, then either closely laid or step-by-step flagstone will do. It’s beautiful when you come close to some part of the shore

In order to create a beautiful, harmonious garden, it is not enough to simply scatter the seeds of flowers, ornamental shrubs and trees. It is also necessary to equip it, etc. But that's not all! No composition will work if you don’t plan your garden style in advance. And if your dream is a Chinese garden, then you need a lot of input from your inner world.

They say about the Chinese garden that it reveals secret spiritual world gardener. Therefore, when creating it, there is no need to hire specialists in the field of landscape design; you just need to know some of the nuances of creating a garden in the Chinese style, which we will talk about now.

Where to start when creating a Chinese garden

An example of a Chinese garden with a stream, a bridge, bonsai trees and a minimum of flowers.

Before creating their own garden, Chinese gardeners usually try to relax as calmly as possible against the backdrop of a natural landscape. They are also very much inspired by Buddhism, the philosophy of which calls for drawing strength for the mind and spirit from being surrounded by nature. Therefore, we can confidently say that the Chinese garden reflects the ideal landscape for a gardener.

Miniature mountains, rivers, trees and shrubs are suitable for such a garden. The main thing is that everything flows into one harmonious composition, which is saturated with energy and inner world creator.

It is also important that in the Chinese garden there are no bushes of ideal geometric shape (English style) or other elements that will clearly show the non-natural origin of the garden, because, as stated earlier, the Chinese garden is a reflection of the ideal natural nature for the gardener.

One more important point characteristic of the Chinese garden is the combination of elements that have a mysterious philosophical meaning. These elements include: water, stones, flora. Let's figure out which element symbolizes what.

In the photo, water is a symbol of life in a Chinese garden.

Water must be present in a Chinese garden, because a miniature of natural nature cannot exist without life-giving moisture. For this purpose, small waterfalls, streams, and ponds are created, which are located in the center of the composition. There is no need to stylishly decorate the contours of reservoirs; it is better to leave the banks bare and natural. As for the flow, it should be quiet and calm, like the flow of life. Because water is like a mirror, then from the point of view of Buddhism it symbolizes the true perfect spirit. Therefore, it would be wise to build a place to relax on the shore, in the form of a gazebo, which, both in reality and as a reflection on the surface of the water, will participate in the composition.

Easterners firmly believe that stones are spiritual. It is also believed that the stone embodies the masculine principle - Yang. Therefore, the presence of stone in a Chinese garden is as necessary as the presence of water. They can be located near the banks of a stream, a waterfall, or generally serve as the dominant element of the garden. Chinese gardeners believe that unusual stones (with iridescence, ancient patina, holes, veins) are a symbol of immortality, so if you come across such a stone, be sure to include it in your composition. You can also use natural stone (for example, granite) to lay out a path that will effectively complement the Chinese garden.

A very important nuance of the Chinese garden is its attractiveness, so the flora should be selected taking into account the fact that when one type of plant blooms, others should dominate at this time. Also, do not forget that in a Chinese garden each element has its own hidden meaning This also applies to plants.

Trees in a Chinese garden + 8 photos

Every tree in a Chinese garden must symbolize something. Plum or cherry shows strength of character. Pine, which is found in almost every garden, means the infinity of time. Chinese gardeners especially love bamboo, which symbolizes perseverance and endurance (in strong gusts of wind, bamboo bends but does not break). Also, the inhabitants of the Celestial Empire love to use special techniques in order to change appearance tree and show, again, the hidden meaning. Such techniques include artificially curved or aged trunks. As for the latter, centuries-old plants are generally treated with respect, just like older people. Therefore, old trees often serve as the main element of a Chinese garden.

Flowers in a Chinese garden + 8 photo examples

Like other elements of the Chinese garden, flowers also show a huge influence of Buddhism. Flowers also necessarily symbolize something. For example, the lotus is a symbol of a pure soul. Chinese gardeners are very fond of the tree peony, which is considered the king of flowers. Roses, daffodils and chrysanthemums will not interfere in the Chinese garden. Also, you should pay attention to the fact that each flower has its own companion: roses have peonies, plums have magnolia, chrysanthemums have begonias. As for lawns, as you noticed, there are none in the Chinese garden. Instead, herbaceous perennials or ornamental grasses are planted. And finally, don’t forget about the classics of the genre - bonsai, which looks spectacular in small containers that are placed on stands.

This is perhaps the minimum knowledge that you should have when creating your own Chinese garden. Don’t be intimidated by the complexity and philosophical nature of the composition, because if you really put your whole soul into creating a garden, then there will be no need to add or change anything. And remember that a garden made with your own hands is already, in fact, unique and unique, so enjoy relaxing in it every day!