The method of decorating the garden in the bonsai style came to us from Japan. This type of landscape design of the site is imbued with ancient philosophy and reflects the Eastern worldview. The meaning lies in harmony. All elements of the landscape are in balance.
In Japan, the style of garden design is called niwaki, and in Europe, the technique is called garden bonsai. These methods have common features and a number of differences. The difference lies in the philosophy of the relationship between man and nature. In the European style, the person is at the center of everything, and in the Eastern style, the main thing is harmony. Also excellent crown pruning techniques.
Do you want a conceptual design of a garden plot? Our craftsmen will help recreate a real Japanese garden. We offer:
- development of a complete design concept;
- site planning;
- planting plants and further care;
- drawing up recommendations for independent maintenance of the garden.
We have been working for many years. During this time, more than a dozen clients have been helped to create their dream garden.
Fundamental differences
Despite the external similarity, the Japanese and European versions differ. For the Japanese, niwaki is not just a way to beautifully arrange a yard. For them, this is an important stage of self-discovery. Contemplating, a person became a part of the surrounding nature.
Europeans were attracted only by the exotic appearance of such gardens. They did not delve into spiritual values. Foreigners compared the appearance of the park zone with dwarf bonsai trees. That's how niwaki was renamed to garden bonsai.
But the differences are not only in the name. European landscape designers partially copied the technique of garden design and added their characteristic features. The main thesis of Western European culture is the superiority of man over nature, in contrast to the Eastern harmony of nature and the human being. From a technical point of view, European garden bonsai is a variant of topiary.
The main difference is in the methods of trimming the paws or shaping the elbows:
- Japanese cut, and European designers cut.
- The central conductor is kept in niwaki.
- In niwaki, the paws change over time, but in court bonsai they do not.
- In the European version, no styles are strictly observed. Masters focus on the external beauty of the tree.
- From the point of view of the tree pruning technique, niwaki implies the design of the crown according to strict rules, while the European version gives free rein to imagination. The latter is more difficult to do, as it is easier to cut the crown according to the rules.
It is not easy to master the technique on your own. But if you like a garden in the technique of harmony and pacification, our masters will help you create a front garden in the country of the samurai. We accompany clients throughout the landscape formation process, which takes more than one year. Creating a garden bonsai, you will be able to come to self-knowledge.