Cultural Gardening

Have you considered a purpose behind what you are doing in your yard? Most of us have figured that we want a tree here, or a bush there, because of privacy or shade or adding some color, but have you really considered your yard as a whole?

We have a Korean exchange student staying with us for a while, and it got me thinking about our home. What does he think about it? Does it seem foreign (pardon the pun) to him? I started to research Korean gardening and came across some interesting differences.

I am not trying to imply that we Americans don't think much about our gardens and yards, but I think the Koreans may approach it a little differently. We tend to be somewhat utilitarian in our take on our yards. We look for what we can do in them, what we produce out of them, or how they look. The Koreans look for what their gardens can DO FOR them. The idea is to create a special place that reflects you, your ideals, and your needs.

The difference between an American garden and a Korean one is obvious to the eye but subtle to the mind. The goal in every section of the Korean garden is a welcoming solitude and rest. The goal of the garden is to call to you to come and rest your mind.

As I view Korean gardens and paths I can see where one would go to tend their garden, go inside to clean up, and then immediately return to rest in cool shade, near a bubbling waterfall, and dip their feet in a cool pond.

There is nothing wrong with a utilitarian garden or yard; often times they are necessary - but is that all it can be. More often than not I see people working on their yards to impress their neighbors. They work and work on a space that does nothing for them unless someone else notices. I think we could take a lesson from some of the cultures of the world and rethink how we use, see, and focus our gardens.

Go To Page: 1

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic