The Chinese garden idealizes nature with an emphasis on balance and harmony. Ji Cheng's guide to Chinese landscaping The Craft of Gardens, written in the 1630's, summarizes the essence of this style: 'create in the likeness of nature; follow the lie of the land; use asymmetry and imbalance; and channel the spirit of the land."
Design and layout reflect the principles of Feng Shui. Look for garden paths that define how the garden should be experienced, three dimensional landscape portraits, and the compression and expansion of space. These techniques will come back in the picturesque movement.
Check out the posts below for other examples of gardens inspired by the Chinese style.
Gardens have the ability to transport us to a different place and time. Visiting the Thai Pavilion at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in central Wisconsin is a powerful example. This landscape takes us on a mini-vacation to the delights of Thai culture and ecology. An 8,000 mile journey never felt so close.
In 1772, William Chambers wrote of Chinese gardens, ”Their scenes of terror are composed of gloomy woods, … The trees are ill formed..., and seemingly torn to pieces by the violence of tempests.” Perhaps no where are these scenes of “ill formed” trees more present than in the ancient art of penjing. If you enjoy Penjing, a scholar garden is the place for you and this collection is dazzling....
Those of you who have traveled to China know this charming tradition. Hotels provide their western guests with a business card. On one side, it explains that you are a guest of the hotel and that if you are found somewhere in the city, to please return you to the hotel. On the other side is...
Neither the oldest nor the most beautiful, The Humble Administrator's Garden is the largest and most well-known Suzhou scholar gardens. It contains elements that make Suzhou gardens famous - idealistic scenes influenced by fine paintings, and an harmonious integration of architecture and nature - my first stop after landing in China...
“We all love trees, old trees have meaning. So what if you could grow a tree in the palm of your hand? How amazing is that! That is what bonsai is about.” The Fox Valley Bonsai Society makes the ancient art of penjing and bonsai accessible and fun...
I love Chinese garden signs! Actually, I love their wonderful sub-titles. I realized when I traveled alone that not speaking the local language felt disorienting and isolating. So the occasional garden sign that featured English felt welcoming. Best of all, Chinese translations are poetic, provocative, and fun....
Visiting Innisfree in Millbrook, New York, is like stepping into another world. Actually many different worlds. This amazing landscape uses Chinese garden techniques in a very modern American context. Innisfree has been on my garden visit list for some time. I was intrigued by people’s description of the garden. It is considered one of the “world’s ten best gardens”...
The use of ornament in the garden can have a big impact. Ornaments provide focal points, reinforce the style of the garden, make us pause and think. They offer a delightful way to introduce personality into the garden. One of my favorite gardens uses flying pigs...
“April is the cruelest month, T.S. Eliot wrote;... I think he meant (among other things) that springtime makes people crazy. We expect too much, the world burgeons with promises it can't keep, ... and we're doomed to get our hearts broken yet again. I agree, and would further add: Who cares?" Barbara Kingsolver. Read more...
Thanks to Eliza Scidmore, cherry blossoms have become an integral element that welcomes spring. These natives of the Himalayas are among the first trees to bloom, transforming winter’s gray into clouds of white and soft pink. But it wasn't easy getting cherry trees to US shores. If at first you don't succeed, try again...