A Zen garden can be as big as your yard or as small as a box on your desk. The key is simplicity. It is the meditative aspect of the Zen garden that brings its appeal from the far east.

First you need a container. For a large outdoor garden, an area set off by planks of wood with the ground inside covered by plastic sheeting to prevent weeds should suffice. For a small indoor garden, you will need an open metal or wooden box.

Fill your container with sand (or fine gravel for larger gardens). This represents water. Add a few stones or rocks, the size needs to correspond to the size of your garden. These represent mountains. Color, shape, and texture are all up to you. Finally, you will need to find a rake to make the rippling waves in your garden. For a small garden, you can make one out of a twig (Cut a piece of the twig about 4″ long. Cut a second piece about 2″ long. Then make three or four more pieces that are about 1/2″ long. The long piece will be the handle. Glue the second piece sideways to the end of the handle. Then glue the smaller pieces onto the second piece.)

The key to a Zen garden is cleanliness. Wash stones often and change sand to prevent dust from accumulating. Pets and children do not mix well with Zen gardens so to avoid stress, keep it inaccessible to them. Feel free to move or change out rocks or other objects as often as you want. Don’t be afraid to try new raking patterns. Most of all, just let it be a relaxing process where you let go of all your concerns for a little while.