For those who appreciate the blissful relaxation of Japanese rock gardens and can also appreciate the virtual translation of such a utopian art, then check out Pavel Doichev’s latest app Sand Garden. Released only a few weeks ago, but buried beneath hundreds of other new releases, Sand Garden is a three dimensional sand garden complete with customization options to make your Zen garden a reflection of you.

Sand Garden is a simplistic app that is very beautifully rendered in realistic 3D graphics. Choices include sand color along with rock type, shape, color and polish, as well as lighting options. Choose from an array of vibrant colored sands or basic white sand and use it as a background for the placement of a polished granite or marble rock. Resize the rock or reposition it to your liking. Select tools from a simple stick to a few different rakes that leave different patterns in the sand. Experiment with lighting, including candlelight, to achieve the perfect balance of shadow and light.

All in all, Sand Garden is very aesthetic from a visual standpoint. It does a nice job of capturing and recreating the experience of raking sand and is simply quite lovely to look at. The only downfall is a lack of sound. You can play music from your library as you experiment and build your garden, but including either a complimenting loop of Japanese-style music or a collection of relaxing sound effects like waves, chimes, or rain would have sent Sand Garden over the top in terms of achieving true Zen.

Auditory shortcomings aside, Sand Garden is a visual treat. The options available to create a customized rock garden aren’t incredibly varied, but are impressive enough to make it pleasing. If you enjoy all things Zen and grasp the concept of trying to achieve balance and harmony in the construction of things, then give Sand Garden a look. It’s priced right and could fill a few moments of down time with a bit of relaxation, plus allows you to create unique wallpaper by taking screenshot pictures.

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app category: Editor's Picks, Entertainment