Japanese gardening is an oriental form of gardening that artistically re-creates scenes from nature as faithfully as possible by using shrubs, trees, sand, rocks, ponds, streams, and artificial hills. The Zen and Shinto religions influence Japanese gardening a great deal in that it induces a reflective and contemplative mental state. It differs from the Western style of gardening as it is more meditative and stress-relieving.

The two basic styles of Japanese gardening are Tsukiyami, a hill garden made mostly of hills and pools, and Hiraniwa, a flat garden devoid of hills or pools, the opposite of Tsukiyami.

The main signature plant in Japanese gardening is Bonsai. In Bonsai, ordinary everyday plants are cultivated to appear like old trees in miniature form. Plants that are ideal for Bonsai include cypress, cedar, pine, maple and cherry.

It’s funny how most people place a fake tree in their living room, dust its leaves off regularly, and call themselves indoor gardeners. Indoor gardening has meant more than that to other people. They believe that there are a lot of benefits to be derived from indoor gardening especially if you live in a small apartment in a big metropolitan city.

Indoor plants not only absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and give off health-promoting oxygen, they also eliminate many harmful pollutants and toxins from the air as well. Indoor gardening provides a refreshing backdrop that relieves stress after a day of running in the rat race.

Do you have tips and suggestions about indoor gardening? You can post your comments here.

Plants cease to bear flowers and fruits at the onset of cold weather. DIY greenhouse kits have provided gardeners a lot of enjoyment by allowing plants to bloom and bear fruits even during the cold winter months. This is possible because DIY greenhouse kits are built to capture the sun’s ray and convert it into heat that’s necessary for plants to grow.

DIY greenhouse kits make harvest possible for professional and hobby gardeners throughout the year. How wonderful it would be to find your plants producing blooms and fruits even in the middle of winter!  You can spend your time with your plants on a cold morning and putter in your garden inside your temperature-controlled greenhouse. Why wait for the flowers of spring when you can have it now?

Adding a few “song bird plants” to your garden will invite various bird species all year round. These plants include natives, shrubs, perennials, annuals and cultivated plants whose seeds attract birds. If possible, raise some plants from each group to provide your feathered visitors seeds and fruits throughout the year.

When birds get accustomed to feeding in your yard, they will build up a certain dependency on your garden. As natural food become scarcer during the winter months, provide generous amounts of seeds, fruits and suet in your garden to keep your winged visitors around the yard.

Whenever possible, include a water supply in your garden design. From there, you can construct a bird bath which will give the birds the water and enjoyment they require.

Gardening takes a lot of hard work but, let’s face it, it is a happy, rewarding work. Every hour of toil you put in your garden will later bring you, your family and your friends countless hours of joy and pleasure.

Be patient. Your own startup garden will not turn into a flowering paradise overnight, unless of course, you have enough cash to hire landscape artists and designers. But then, where’s the joy and pride of raising your own there?

Professionals do excellent work but the finished garden is a reflection of their design and personality, not yours. What will exist on your property is their own dream garden.

Growing your own garden gives you inner satisfaction and a great feeling of accomplishment. Months later, you will be able to stand back and say that this beautiful work of art is your creation and no one else’s.