Zen gardening

For those in search of calm, a few simple steps are all it takes to create a Zen garden. Zen gardens are not 'collector's' gardens, which means there's no need for an ostentatious use of flowers or to go over the top.

A tranquil garden

To create a relaxing garden, use some plants with neutral foliage as a backdrop.
Take some bamboo plants, pebbles and resin lanterns with a stone or granite effect. These are all essential to creating a tranquil setting.
Add some vases of water, water lily flowers, Japanese maple (which changes throughout the seasons), some tufts of blue fescue and Douglas maples.

Then, with this haven of tranquillity all for you, place some faces of wisdom and Buddha statues here and there and watch them smile gently to the rhythm of the tipping 'shishi odoshi' fountain and the dance of the Koi carp.
Available in fibre glass/ceramic, or terra cotta, these statues – which are specially coated for a moss-covered appearance and crackled ceramic effect – will resist the outdoors and the slow passing of time.

So, follow the path of your Japanese garden today and let the irregular granite stepping stones guide you to a new level of harmony.