The design has been dedicated to the Horticulture Lecturers at the Nottingham Trent University as a token of gratitude for sharing their knowledge and being extremely supportive.

The white and black colours (in the wood and in the two types of sand) refer to life/death, but also graduation. The feelings of happiness and sadness seem to be intertwined.

The border is a Zen – inspired space, devoted to tranquillity and meditation. The Shou Sugi Ban wooden palisade represents life, the ups and downs with the emphasis on striving to acknowledge various emotions, but not getting overpowered by them.

Water is represented in the pattern in the white sand, and the calm, clear state of mind; whereas knowledge and enlightenment was brought into the design by the black sand. There is no light without darkness, as there is no tranquillity without occasional struggles, in a human life, as well as in plants.

Plants breathe life into spaces, but in the majority of situations, they rely on soil to provide them with valuable nutrients to be able to grow and flower. Soil, sometimes viewed as imperfect and dirty, here in a form of Dorodango (a simple traditional Japanese mud ball), shows its’ true qualities – beauty and perfection.

The planting provides an addition of softness and authenticity to the design. As a Japanese-style garden, the focus was mainly on ferns, grasses, herbaceous perennials, and a few focal points - Acer sp., Phyllostachys nigra and Azalea japonica.

Wind rustling in the leaves of the acer and gentle swaying of the grasses provide a perfect setting for self-reflection. The lantern is there to guide one through the darkness of their thoughts.

At a glance:

The border provides a perfect corner-stone for a full Zen garden for a Japanophile or anyone seeking a low maintenance garden.

Agatha’s Studio, Agatha Swiacik