Last season’s trend was hygge, the Danish style which means to feel cosy. However, creating a garden that made you feel hygge was actually no easy task! So, how about wabi-sabi and the art of the imperfect garden?
Beauty in imperfection, wabi-sabi (侘寂) is a philosophy of aesthetics. The practice is from Buddhist teachings, and is all about transience and ageing gracefully, without enhancement. It explores how nature can influence and enhance manmade objects and landscapes. Simply said, wabi-sabi gardens allow nature to ‘do it’s thing’, even if that includes a few weeds here and there!
Finally, there’s a garden style which means we can feel relaxed, yet proud of our gardens (in whatever state they may be!) Incompleteness, a relaxed simplicity and asymmetry are all key elements of the wabi-sabi gardening movement. You may not have perfectly-edged borders, and your planting schemes may be muddled and crowded. There could be decaying logs and rusty ironwork around your garden, or even weeds in your lawn! It’s ok. It’s wabi-sabi (侘寂)!
Here are 10 ways to get the look in your garden!
This fresh gardening trend was first identified by Katie Debouw of the Garden Media Group, as part of her 2018 Gardening Trends insight at the 2017 Cultivate Show in Ohio. Download a full copy of the report here.
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