Green Daily

Known as a Zen garden, Strolling garden, Dry garden, Contemplation garden or Japanese garden, the Zen garden can be deceptive in its simplicity of sand, pebbles, gravel, rock and yet, profound in its tranquil affect.

Originating with Buddhist priests centuries ago, Zen gardens have been discovered in the West as a place of peaceful reflection and meditation. In a Zen garden, the large rock represents mountain, the flowing design in the sand represents the stillness of water. There will be no plants, flowers, trees or weeds in the Zen garden.

But it is the subliminal message in the form of a tree where there is no tree that visual-imaging scientists in Japan believe is the source of serenity found at the 500 year-old Ryoanji Temple garden. The shape of the tree is found in the empty space of rock and void. The garden contains 15 rocks in five groupings placed so that only 14 can be seen at any one time. It is said that to see the 15th stone, one must attain spiritual enlightenment.

From desktop size to backyard garden, wikiHow's How to Create a Zen Garden offers step-by-step instructions to making a Zen garden of your own.