The Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden

The Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden. A landscape with deeper meaning. , In the gardens of Japan, nature is rarefied, abstracted, and interpreted to reveal lessons about life and our own place in the larger scheme of things. Symbolic elements imbue the landscape with deeper meaning. Among the major features of the Japanese Garden are water, including the pond, which shapes and reflects vistas, and a waterfall, which denotes constant change. A shire dedicated to the Shinto god of the harvest is nestled in the pine grove. Found throughout the Japanese Garden are stone lanterns, used today for sculptural effect. With its lanterns, stones, pond, and evergreens, as well as its bridges and other architectural elements, the Japanese garden retain its beauty in all the seasons. , The Brooklyn Botanical garden’s Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden is considered the masterpiece of Japanese landscape designer Takeo Shiota. It was first opened to the public in 1915. , Symbolism in the Japanese garden , Pines are a symbol of longevity. These evergreens also represent permanence, in contrast to the ever-changing aspects of nature. , The pond is in the shape of the Japanese character denoting “heart.” , Rocks are used in a variety of ways. Some are believed to be conduits of Ki, life energy. Others are religious symbols or sculptural elements.