Japanese garden benches are perfect for enjoying the calm serenity of your surroundings. For more info on stone, teak and bamboo garden benches read our guide…
Japanese gardens have so many elements to them to make them beautiful that it is an art form in and of itself that goes into building them. The Garden Bench is one element that is taken into a big consideration and has become a focal point of the garden depending on the resting place and its elegance as well. There is no set amount of Japanese benches that must or must not be placed in a garden, but you will want to make sure that they are of Asian-style décor.
Japanese garden benches come in many styles.
• Stone – These benches have curves rather than straight lines. They are carved with dragon faces and are usually backless. Usually, these are placed by a pond surrounded by bamboo.
• Teak Benches – Also backless, these are also carved with dragons slats sitting so close together almost looking like one single piece of wood. They are usually stained a honey color and are a subtle piece for any garden.
• Bamboo – These are relatively new types of benches but still give that Asian-style to your garden. Once weathered, they will look a bit like the landscape and can endure the weather sometimes better than other materials.
Gardens with lots of space may want to have outdoor dining sets with a slatted table. This can be made of teak or stone, complimented by matching chairs. Set a shoji screen or a stone carving nearby and your garden will start to have an Asian look in no time.
Since Japanese gardens were originally created for spirituality and meditation, placing benches by themselves to be able to meditate makes the peace and tranquility of the garden flow along with water, plants and other elements as well. Japanese benches are a work of art unto themselves. Make sure that the bench does go along with the garden style. For example, you don’t want an Edo bench in a Shinto garden. Most benches are also fashioned for ambiance, not to suit the garden.
A regular garden bench can also be made into a Japanese garden bench. When placing a normal garden bench in a Japanese garden, make sure that it is placed in a natural setting and doesn’t look out of place. Also, they can be surrounded with Japanese ornaments, garden supplies and accents. Bamboo, granite lanterns, and rain chains are just a few examples. Japanese garden benches are defined as simple and comfortable. A naturally shaped boulder can even be used as a garden bench and would meld right into the scenery without looking out of place.
No matter what bench or benches you decide to use for your Japanese garden, remember that placement is everything. Once all of this is taken into consideration and your bench is placed, sit back and enjoy your peace and tranquility.
