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There’s more than one way to create an enticing and soothing backyard retreat and adding some Eastern inspiration is a great way to get started. Japanese gardens have a much more spacious feel than their Western counterparts and can incorporate a variety of eye-catching features. Here’s a few ways to incorporate the East into your garden.

Rocks

Rocks are a main component in a Japanese garden and serve a variety of different purposes. Stepping stones will mark a garden path while a collection of smaller, more abstract stones might create a point of interest to entice your visitors to stop and enjoy the view. Interestingly, different rocks have different meanings in the Japanese garden and there are actually rules about how to lay them out:

The “Soul Stone” is a low, standing stone that typically has a wide base and tapered top. This stone is often a centerpiece of the Japanese garden.

The “Body Stone” is another upright stone but taller than a soul stone. This stone often represents a god and is typically placed in the rear of the garden.

The “Heart Stone” is flat (such as a stepping stone) and is used to add harmony to the garden.

The “Branching Stone” (also known as the “arching stone”) is the only stone in a Japanese garden with a wider top than base. This stone represents arms and connects the other stones to the garden.

The “Ox Stone” is placed in the foreground and is not as tall as a branching stone but not as short as a heart stone. It is somewhat irregularly shaped, typically with one end taller than the other.

Using these five stone types, there are countless designs that can be created in your garden.

Water

Water is almost always a focal point in the Japanese garden, whether it’s a majestic waterfall or a soothing pond. One major difference however, is that Japanese gardens tend to build the garden around the pond instead of vice-versa. The pond must be unaltered and should always follow the principles of nature.

For example, natural ponds tend to be somewhat round, oblong or abstract in shape. You’d never find a pond that had sharp angles and certainly no fancy fountains in the middle. Instead of polished stone or concrete retainers, Japanese gardens rely on dirt, foliage and colorful rocks to surround their ponds.

Balance And Harmony

Japanese gardens tend to convey a specific “energy” to their visitors. They embrace all the seasons and incorporate nature’s own preferences into their design. You won’t find randomly selected plants and garden art evenly distributed across the landscaping. Instead, the accents are chosen to compliment what is already there, without disturbing the “natural flow” of things. Japanese gardens follow the spiritual philosophy of Zen, where less is more. A path need not be cluttered with pots, plants and sculptures to be appealing. Instead, a Japanese garden will embrace the space, choosing only a few well-thought enhancements for color and atmosphere.

Pathways

Japanese gardens like to encourage the “journey” and use pathways to do so. Stepping stones or walking paths marked by shrubs and other foliage suggest the visitor keep going to see what’s around the next bend. A small bridge reminds us to slow down and enjoy our travels.

Enclosures

And last but certainly not least, Japanese gardens are “hidden” from the rest of the world. Using gates, fences, trees and shrubs, a Japanese garden is meant to serve as a place of solitude and meditation without interruption from the outside world. 

How The New Stimulus Package Will Affect You

The $787 billion stimulus package, signed by President Barack Obama, includes tax benefits and spending increases that will directly benefit many Americans.

Reduction in income tax: The IRS is updating withholding tables to incorporate the Making Work Pay tax credit of $400 for singles and $800 for couples.

When employers receive the new tables, the changes will be made.

First time homebuyer tax credit: Singles with income of up to $75,000 and couples earning up to $150,000 who buy their first home (or who haven't owned a home in the last three years) can claim a tax credit of up to $8,000, or $4,000 for singles, which does not have to be paid back.

The home must be bought between January 1 and December 1 (not December 31) of 2009.

This is an "above the line" tax credit, which means you don't have to itemize taxes to get it. 

New car tax credit in 2009: Individual taxpayers who earn up to $125,000 in 2009 ($250,000 for couples) will be able to deduct state taxes, local sales taxes and excise taxes paid for the purchase of any new car, light truck, recreational vehicle or motorcycle priced at up to $49,500.

This is also an "above the line" tax credit.

New car tax credit in 2010 and 2011:  Taxpayers can claim a tax credit of up to $2,500 for the purchase of a plug-in hybrid until manufacturers sell more than 200,000 of them.

The credit starts at $417.

One-time check for Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, railroad retirement benefits and veterans disability compensation:

$250 checks are scheduled to be mailed in June 2009.

Additional changes and tax credits are also included in the new plan.

       Q.    How can I create more privacy in my backyard?

A.    Beyond installing a tall, wooden fence, there are actually a number of things you can do to create a private, serene retreat in your backyard.

        Hedges and trees work wonders for enclosing your space and also help to drown out noise from the outside world. Rock walls also provide considerable privacy and are an attractive alternative to traditional wooden fences.

        Take your quest for privacy one step further and enclose your entertaining area with a pergola, gazebo or by building an outdoor room, complete with a quasi-ceiling and - at least a few - walls.

        To really drive that peaceful “I’m in another world” feel home, invest in a garden pond or fountain. These beautiful accents serve two purposes: one, they provide a little “white noise” to help drown out your neighbors and two, they provide a relaxing focal point for your outdoor space.