Pebbles, slate mulch, paddlestones, gravel and sand can all be used to create the illusion of water in oriental Japanese gardens, such as lakes and ponds, as well as meandering dry streams and rivers. These dry water features often feature 'pretend' bridges, being planted by marsh loving marginal plants.
Relevant image keywords:
dry, dry river, dry stream, flag iris, flags, flower border, flowerbed, flowering, flowering plant, garden, garden feature, gravel, hardscaping, iris, irises, japanese, japanese garden, japanese tea garden, landscape garden, landscaping, meandering, nature, no people, ornamental garden, outdoors, overlapping, paddlestones, pebbles, perennials, plant, representation, river, river bed, shale, slate, slate bed, slate paddlestones, slate stream, stream, stream bed, sunny, tea garden