Japanese Zen gardens (
karesansui) are usually a combination of sand, rocks, and sometimes small parcels of moss and carefully trimmed shrubs. But in some cases, like in this photo taken at Ryogen-in, Kyoto, the garden designer didn't used sand at all, creating a rare Zen garden entirely of moss.
Thus, the symbolism of the Zen garden changes, because if normally the sand represents the water, a continuously changing element, in this case the moss symbolizes tradition, stability, maturity...
Moss covered Japanese Zen Garden, Ryogin-tei, Ryogen-in Temple, Kyoto EXIF info:
Nikon D90
Lens: 8-16mm F/4.5-5.6G
Focal Length: 16mm
Aperture: F/5.6
Shutter Speed: 1/200s
ISO Sensitivity: ISO 200