In ancient times, plants were mostly grown for food or medicine.

The primary goal of ancient families was to keep their food and medicine stores for a year. In fact, they had neither the place nor the time to cultivate the gardens for their beauty. However, over time and with the development of societies, ornamental gardens have become increasingly popular in many cultures around the world. Noble people wanted to make their gardens and homes unique with miniature replicas of the natural landscapes they saw during their travels.

History of Japanese gardens

If we hear the word Japanese garden, we will probably see streams, lakes, promenades, bridges, white sand, pebbles, vast areas, large stones, and uniquely shaped trees and shrubs before our spiritual eyes. These common elements have been present in Japanese gardens for a very long time. They symbolize not only the four elements of the Earth, the earth, the air, the fire, and the water, but also the natural opposing forces of nature.

Traditional Japanese gardens

In traditional Japanese gardens, sand and gravel, for example, symbolize rivers, streams, and lakes. The wavy lines drawn in the sand represent the constant movement of water. Huge stones and rocks represent the mountains, while bamboo fences represent dense forests. Winding roads and bridges show us the path to enlightenment, while decorative lights are meant to guide our path.

The development of Japanese gardens

Although nature has been represented in Japanese gardens for centuries, different garden styles have dominated different periods of Japanese history. Japanese garden design and gardening professionals were the first to print garden design textbooks so the history of Japanese garden styles can be easily traced. Like most cultures, ornamental gardens, in this case Japanese gardens, were mostly used by the rich to decorate their homes or temples and shrines.