How to Build a Chinese Rock Garden

Miniature Chinese Rock Garden

• 1

  Find a suitable container for your small garden. Suggestions include a wooden box with shallow sides, a glass baking dish or a cookie sheet with low sides (sometimes called a jelly-roll pan).

• 2

  Fill the container with clean, fine sand. Hobby stores generally sell the nicest sand for an inside rock garden.

• 3

  Select and place a few rocks in your container. Craft stores sell polished rocks in various sizes. Some people prefer two or three rocks placed together, leaving a good deal of sand to rake. Others like a more balanced combination. Let your personal preference dictate the kind of garden you want, since there is no right or wrong way to build it.

• 4

  Purchase a miniature Zen rake you can use to create designs in the sand. A plastic fork or wide-tooth comb will work as well; just make sure the comb isn’t too wide to navigate around the rocks.

• 5

  Enjoy your garden daily. Experiment with the number of rocks and formation of the sand.

Outdoor Chinese Rock Garden

• 6

  Create a rough draft on a piece of paper or your computer so you can decide what you want.

• 7

  Use as many or as few components as you wish. A nice balance for any Chinese rock garden includes rocks, plants and a water feature.

• 8

  Begin with a few large rocks or boulders placed together in a grouping or several groupings. Since boulders may be the focal point of your garden, choose two or three large ones from a landscape supply company and have them delivered and placed exactly where you want them. They will be too heavy for you to move in the future.

• 9

  Add landscaping materials such as gravel or river rock in and around your garden. Put landscape fabric beneath the materials to prevent weed growth. If you wish to have sand to rake, include an area off to the side where your sand designs can remain uninterrupted. An unused sandbox makes a perfect raking area.

• 10

  Plant a few shrubs and flowers that suit the growing zone where you live. As bushes grow, they take up a lot of space so plant accordingly; keeping in mind you want rocks and boulders to remain visible.

• 11

  Include a water feature; something as small as water chimes will suffice. Have a pond or fountain installed if water is to be an integral element of your garden.