The Meditative Gardens of Zen Buddhism, Part 2 of 2

Zen gardens have become popular again in recent decades. Japanese gardens have been built all over the world, with several notable examples in the USA and India. Many people crave the peaceful elegance of a Japanese garden and have found ways to bring some of these aspects into their own home gardens. Today, we are delighted to have this opportunity to interview Martin Fitton for our show. Martin is a British gardener living in Bristol who has created a stunning Japanese garden with his own hands. His garden is part of the National Garden Scheme, a UK charitable organization that gives the public access to exceptional private gardens in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Channel Islands.

The plants, stones, and garden layout were the most critical elements. “The main three elements are: stone, it gives the structure; the water, it gives life; the plants, it gives color throughout the season. And when you put them all together, you get the balance right with the plants in the garden structures and garden ornaments, and that will create the Japanese garden.”

Zen gardens were created to provide a meditative space for those who viewed them. Martin has found that his garden has the same effect. “I’ve experienced that firsthand by visitors who come to my garden. Even with 20-odd people in the garden, they still experience that effect of calmness and to feel very chilled out and relaxed just by sitting in my garden.” “People are visiting my garden, and when they go, they want to create their own because they need something like this in their lives, because their life is full of stress and ups and downs. They feel as though when they come to my garden, all that just lifts away. So, it must be the Japanese feel that does that.”

“If anybody out there is thinking of creating a Japanese garden, then I can highly recommend it. I think it’s good for your health. I go to work, I come home into my garden, and I forget all about work and the stresses I have at work. It just releases it. So, by creating this in your own garden, I think it can give you a better lifestyle, a better way of life, and make you feel more calm and relaxed. Just to put a few little Japanese elements in your garden and put it in the right setting, it can give you that feeling of calmness.”