Oriental Garden Ornaments

There is something about Asia and the Orient that really captures the Western imagination. The promise of the East has a timeless allure and mystique that seems to transcend time and place. Maybe it is

the way so much of the architecture and decor is influenced by spiritual traditions such as Buddhism that gives all things Eastern their intrigue, and caused their style to be imported into Europe and America. Though it can be difficult to create such a mood in your house, because of the different architectural nuances, it is often relatively easy to create an impression of the East with some carefully chosen Oriental Garden Ornaments. Gardens from Japan are well known to be carefully planned and structured, following ancient traditions that are very difficult to grasp without years of training. So much so that trying to recreate a Japanase style garden without a thorough understandig is very difficult. However creating a garden that has a hint of the East is an easier task; choose some tasteful garden ornaments that give an impression of Japan or China and you are well on your way to having something a little extraordinary in your garden.

So, without further ado – here are some top ideas for garden ornaments that look the part and will give your garden that subtle, but noticeable something extra.

Rain chain

Rain Chains

Japanese and Oriental gardens are built around the principles of the five elements. Water is one of the primary elements of nature and of many oriental traditions, so it is no surprise that water is a big part of any Oriental garden. Rain chains offer a beautiful way of capturing water while at the same time looking stunning. Rain chains are usually crafted from copper and make a lovely sound when water starts to flow through them. Rain chains are traditionally used to guide water and channel rain water for irrigation or simply to keep water away from paths and such like. Surely more beautiful than your normal down-pipe!

Japanese Stone Lanterns

Stone lantern

Well, what can we say about Japanese stone lanterns? These are the quintessential Japanese garden ornament with such a rich history that a short paragraph could never do them justice. Stone Lanterns come in many different shapes and sizes, each with their own unique form and function, from the ornately carved lanterns through to simple rustic stone lanterns. Snow viewing lanterns with their wide brimmed covers are excellent if you want a large centerpiece (or obviously if you live somewhere where it snows in winter). And of course, you no longer have to be confined by tradition and have an actual candle or live flame in the lantern; these days you can opt for an electric light in your stone lantern. With a large enough garden, you can create quite a mood of the orient if, for example you have several lanterns placed along a path as they are on paths to temples in Japan.

Wind Chimes

Wood or metal wind chimes add a touch of serenity to any garden. Don’t overdo it though, because the last thing you want is dissonant chords from too many chimes. In fact, probably the best thing to do with wind chimes is choose one that you will place in your garden. The gentle chiming sounds can be very soporific in the background, though at the same time, if you are so inclined, training your ear to listen to the chimes can help you focus your mind. Some people even use their wind chimes for meditation, to help bring their attention back to the present moment. The chimes are ideal for this because they chime at the mercy of the wind, so the chimes are randomly spaced, giving your mind no option but to focus when the chime is heard, rather than something that chimes at precises intervals which is easy for the mind to filter out. Though wind chimes originated in India, they made their way through the Far East and are one of the most common Oriental Garden Ornaments. Japan has it’s own interpretation of the wind chime in the form of glass wind bells which are known as Furin. The chimes are said to bring good luck to the household when they are played. Modern interpretations of this classic oriental garden item include chimes made from stone, porcelain or even shell. Bamboo is popular as well. Be sure to buy a good quality wind chime since it will be tuned properly and will sound much better than a poorly created chime.

Bamboo Water Fountain

Bamboo water fountain

Bamboo water fountains are also called Sozu in Japanese and interestingly, it belongs to a wider category of devices which were originally used to scare away birds or other animals that would damage or eat crops. The wider category of “deer scarers” or Shishi Odoshi includes things like scarecrows (kakashi) and clappers (naruko). A Shishi Odoshi water fountain is basically 2 pieces of bamboo pipe layered one above the other. Water flows from the top pipe into the bottom one which once filled with water pivots downward, emptying itself and then falling back to it’s original position, hitting a stone and creating a hollow knocking sound that would scare away pests. Like many things in Japan, from a utilitarian item, the water fountain became adopted into gardens and turned into art. We already know that water is an important element in oriental gardens, so a bamboo water fountain is an obvious choice in creating an Eastern flavour. The serene sounds of water flowing and the regular knocking sound of the Sozu or Shishi Odoshi creates a lovely atmosphere in gardens today. Some bamboo water fountains have been adapted and no longer have the swiveling lower piece of bamboo which creates the regular “click clack” of the original. Instead, the water simply flows out of the top bamboo portion into a stone basin or pond.

Foo Dog Statues

Foo Dog Statue

Foo Dogs or Chinese guardian lions are lovely if fierce looking statues. These go by many names and are sometimes called Fu Lions or Lions of Buddha or even just Stone Lions. These are commonly represented as a mythical lion from ancient Chine which was believed to have powers of protection. The Foo Dogs would often stand outside gates to temples or offices or even tombs of emperors to offer protection from just about anything. They are always created in pairs – a male and female or Yang and Yin. The male Fu Dog is usually seen with a ball under one foot while the female is often represented as having a cub. These make great statues to put on either side of your garden gate or perhaps even as an entrance to your house or summer house/shed. Often Fu dogs have their mouths open with a ball inside that is free to roll around, though never escape from the jaw of the lions. For good Feng Shui, remember to place the male should be placed on the right while the female should be on the left (when you are facing the entrance).

Guan Yin Statues

Also known as Kuan Yin, Guan Yin is usually known as the Goddess of Mercy. This is a great alternative to a statue of the Buddha for those who want something a little more unique. More Chinese than Japanese, Guan Yin is a Taoist Immortal who, legend says, vowed never to rest until she had freed everyone from the curse of reincarnation. She is sometimes portrayed as the goddess with one thousand hands and one thousand eyes, especially in Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. In general, the Chinese form of the Guan Yin is a beautiful woman, robed in white. Because she is the goddess of mercy and compassion, she is one of the most popular goddesses in the far east and sailors specifically pray to her to keep them safe on the ocean. Sometimes, statues of Guan Yin will have her sitting on a lotus blossom or a tortoise that is floating on the sea which hearkens to her status as the patron saint of sailors in the east. Other times, you will find Guan Yin holding a baby which portrays her as the goddess to whom women pray when they want to conceive, other times Guan Yin holds a vase, symbolising the compassion she pours out to the world. Whichever version of the statue you choose, you can’t argue with the sentiment portrayed.

Temple Urns

Buddhist temple stone urns are traditionally made for burning incense in. However, stone urns can simply be used as large outdoor planters if you prefer, offering a more unusual look than just a plain old pot. Often, stone urns will have lovely fretwork carved into them with large “arms” on either side

Buddha Garden Statues

Buddha statue

Well, you can’t really have a good resource on oriental garden ornaments without including a Buddha statue in the list. One of the most versatile and instantly recognisable statues that will give you an oriental feel to your garden, Buddha statues come in so many shapes and sizes that it is almost impossible to chronicle. The large portly Buddha with elongated earlobes (representing long life) and the happy smile on his face which seems prevalent from Chinese and Japanese traditions can be contrasted with the slimmer, more athletic looking younger Buddha statue that seems to come from the Thai traditions. Either way, you can’t really go wrong with a statue of the buddha in your garden – after all, rubbing his belly is said to bring a year of good fortune. Consider getting a bronze statue of the Buddha which will slowly turn lightly green when exposed to the elements of nature, giving it a rustic feel.