Stones

Stones are given special attention in Oriental philosophy.

A symbol of duration and of the omnipresence of the forces of the nature, they anchor the garden to the ground and give it its specific personality.

The stones are laid out in accordance with strict rules, depending on their shapes and sizes; they often are twinned by pairs and by style contrast (a male rock opposed to a female rock).

Stones create relief, produce hills and valleys giving birth to cascades, streams and ponds.

The choice of stones

The type of stone to use is one of the most important element, in the design of a Japanese garden.

After much searching, designer-architect Ken Nakajima found in the asbestos mines of Thetford Mines (Québec) the stone he had seeked so much. An extremely rare stone, the peridotite, glazed of emerald-green serpentine, was chosen as a base, imparting a very special character to the garden.