This article suggests some features and symbolism taking from Japanese Gardens that you can use to beautify your pond surroundings.

Asian-style gardens evoke a sense of peace, harmony, tranquility and contemplation. They are carefully planned, asymmetrical, subtle and rich in symbolism and personal meaning.

Maintenance is relatively simple and consists of weeding, trimming and styling trees and shrubs up to four times a year and raking gravel about once a month. Grey Anderson, owner of Nee-Hai Bonsai in Fresno, CA, gives these suggestions for planning an Asian-style garden:

Green foliage, not bold flower colors. Good selections include sago palm, Japanese maple, juniper, privet, podocarpus, cypress, cedar, bamboo and mondo grass.

Use rocks to represent ancient time or the family. For smooth, granite boulders, plant foliage such as pittosporum, cypress and cedar.

For coarse, craggy rocks use such vegetation as juniper, Japanese black pine and mondo grass.

Use raked gravel for paths and seating areas as a symbol for water and the movement of currents.

Use carved stone lanterns as reminders to follow your inner light or inner path.

Create water features as focal points to create a feeling of solitude. Ponds, fountains and stone basins with a bamboo water-delivery system are good choices.

Use stone, wooden or bamboo bridges to symbolize leaving one world and entering another.

Source:  Chicago Tribune article, 10-24, 2008 By Margaret Slaby