Create a Water Garden For Meditation
Use Ripples and Reflections to Make a Quiet Pond Sanctuary
Jul 4, 2009
Still water is the perfect canvas. Plants and pond ornaments reflected in the water garden can cultivate an atmosphere of stillness by the pond, creating a place for silent contemplation. As evening begins, go out to the water garden with a cup of tea, sit on a bench by the pond, and watch. Dragonflies dance by. Water striders make small ripples on the pond’s surface. The atmosphere is calm and conducive to quiet meditation.
Water Reflections and Ripples as Meditation
Within different spiritual traditions, water has deep meaning. It is often associated with calm, clean thought and meditation. In Buddhism, water is a symbol of calm, clear and pure thought. Asian gardens often use sand to imitate water features. Wave-like forms are created by raking the sand. In Pagan traditions, water represents cleansing. Watching reflections in calm water and the ripples in a pond is a form of meditation in a garden.
Choose Foliage That Reflects in the Water Garden
When placing plants beside the water garden, consider how their leaves will reflect in the water. Choose a variety of leaf shapes that play off each other: long reeds such as cattails, with plump seeds at the end. Wide maple trees can hang over the pond, casting a reflection in the water. Consider how the sunlight will fall on the pond in different seasons through the leaves of the larger trees and bushes. Map where the sunshine goes and make plans to place plants in spots where they will reflect into the water.
Choose Striking Plants to Float in the Water Garden
Some plants can live on top of the water, creating ripples and smaller reflections. Water lilies come in a huge variety of colors. While some may want to remove vegetation from the surface of the pond immediately using a pond skimmer, others may choose to wait a while, allowing the leaves of trees to float in the pond during the day and make ripples before skimming the pond in the evening.
Choosing Color for the Water Garden
While color does not reflect perfectly, choosing a variety of colorful trees and shrubs will help make pond reflections beautiful and generally enhance the pond environment. Deciduous trees and shrubs that change colors in the fall make a striking contrast with the blue of the sky reflected in the water.
Pond Ornaments That Create Ripples
While a large fountain may disturb reflections in the water’s surface, a small fountain like a round bubbling fountain will add small and gentle waves. Pond lighting can also be used to focus attention on the water at the pond’s edges. Using solar pond lights that turn on as it grows dark can add extra time quietly enjoying the water in the garden.
Water has long been used as a focal point in the garden. Creating a calm water garden with beautiful ripples and reflections will help cultivate an atmosphere of meditation beside the pond.
