Stoned at the Rock Fest

Published on by Laura Bloomsbury

‘Geologist’ is the career path I might have gone down but having taken a different way, still retain an amateur fascination for mineral formations and the earth-shattering movements of landscapes.

Definition: Rock is a naturally formed solid aggregate of one or more minerals. Stone equals a rock which has been modified or moved elsewhere by anything other than natural forces!

I have always collected smallish stones for the beauty of form but with plans to create a Japanese style garden in my forthcoming garden, I shall have to seek much larger ones.

“as you set out your garden, never forget how the site looked in its natural state“

The arrangement of stones is one of the most important elements when creating a Japanese Garden…called “ishi wo taten koto“.

“It looks stupid when standing stones, without horizontal stones, are laid out in row like the rivets on a helmet. There should always be more horizontal than vertical stones “
“Stones at the bottom of an incline should look like dogs crouching, pigs running around or a calf playing near its mother”
“make sure that all the stones, right down to the one at the front, are placed with their best sides showings… even if this means one has to lean at a considerable angle”.
Stones gathered from mountains and rivers can turn back into evil spirits, so the advice is to collect from further away!

Quotes in italics from “Infinite Spaces ~ the art and wisdom of the Japanese Garden”. Joe Earle (2000)

15 thoughts on “Stoned at the Rock Fest”

  1. This is a fine gallery of stonework, Laura. Ever fascinating to look at what the earth has been up to over the last many million years. I’ve always collected small ones too. And then I wonder what to do with them all. Making a Japanese garden sounds a very soothing, meditative project.

    1. thanks, Tish – rocks always thrill! I am looking forward to the garden project – a blank canvas as it were and a work in progress for quite some time to come – meanwhile am tuning my eye to these natural forms in their environment in order to emulate as much as possible!

  2. I have to admit to being fascinated by rocks and the colours and patterns. I have several large ones in my garden, but to have a Japanese style would mean removing many of the flowers and I do like my flowers. I shall look forward to seeing how you progress with your new garden.

    1. for years I wanted a sunny colourful border and now am heading into quite a sunny spot and will be doing the demure palette theme – how contrary!

      I will document the new garden on my current garden blog @
      plans4plants.com

      1. Always good to have new ideas. I thought I’d go for a more exotic look here, but the type of soil and the amount of moisture more or less dictates what is suitable. And I am going off plants that have been bred to an inch of their lives and preferring the more native/natural ones. Those that can look after themselves!

        1. yes the setting dictates the plants! – have to remind myself I am only a caretaker gardener and the new Japanese garden has a wider woodland garden setting so it will have to take on the aspect of a clearing in a Japanese wood – luckily over the years I have collected some suitable plants from that aspect

          1. Sounds lovely. The Japanese gardens we visit in Cornwall are in woodland. Lots of ferns, azaleas and hydrangeas.

      2. Hopefully I am following you now. I didn’t see any way of leaving a comment on your plant blog though. Older posts are closed. Love the theme you have on there. And love your plant portraits too. Exciting times ahead!

    1. good job the mountains don’t follow you home Diana though that elephants head would look impressive but as the Japanese superstition warns “stones gathered from mountains and rivers can turn back into evil spirits, so the advice is to collect from further away!”

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