The Japanese believed that the true gardener should study nature to observe how gardens naturally appear. They believed that the gods were the true gardeners and they created these natural gardens as lessons for human gardeners.  All gardens then are imitations of nature.  I have attempted to show the cogency of these beliefs by taking pictures of gardens as they appear in the woods.  The woods themselves I suppose are gardens.

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Carry Pond bog on the north end of the Pond

  Tree garden on Alger Island

Cary Pond below the Beaver Dam

Stump on the south side of Alger Island, blooming in May with Sheep Laurel (I think)

Kyoto has many waterfalls.  All Japanese waterfalls must conform to one these 'forms' of the Kyoto waterfalls. 

This is Minnow Brook in the spring the stream that gives Roaring Brook Cottage its name.