Can't go past: Azaleas, irises (Louisiana's and Iris japonica), Tree peonies (You already have some don't you!), Lilies (Lilium auratum & L. speciosum are beautiful Japanese lilies), Camelias, flowering Cherries, Wisteria (can't remember the japanese species at the moment), Hydrangea, Lotus, Magnolia, Rhododendrons, Primulas, Hepaticas, Daphne, Clematis....the list goes on!!! Never been to Japan but I have a close friend who goes there every year so I could ask her if she knows of any other Japanese plants, but she's not the gardening type really. Hope I could help,

Lauren

How about some attractive south eastern natives:
Hardenbergia violacea (Purple Coral Pea - climber)
Patersonia occidentalis (Native Iris, compact clumps)
Dianella revoluta (Black Anther Flax Lily - royal blue flowers and violet berries, spreading clumps)
Dianella longifolia (Pale Flax Lily - sky blue flowers and violet berries, compact clumps)
Bulbine bulbosa (Native Onion)
Eutaxia microphylla (small dense domed shrub with orange pea flowers, ideal for bonsai as well)

I moved this year also. We inherited a Japanese garden with maple and mondo. However, it has snowdrop bulbs planted in it that is driving my husband crazy. Are they definitely not suitable? We have an azalea, small amount of white ivy, bush ferns, sacred bamboo, rocks and pebbles, smaller maples, the odd violet and seaside daisy, advice about which to remove would be appreciated.

A fairly recent Home Beautiful pictured a Japanese garden and it included a sasanqua and we planted that nearby.

Thanks for the info about Iris Japonica as I moved a piece from my old house.

I have seen in the magazine Juniper, I know nothing about this plant except it is grey and low growing.

There are pine trees (white or black pine, can't remember which one) which will give you an instant Japanese garden effect. They are very slow growing and only grow to few metres high. They are used to make bonsai, but of course if planted in the garden will grow into a normal sized tree.

I went to the nursery and found that the juniper is actually a conifer well I think so anyway. The proper name in the magazine is Juniperus conferta. I have also found out that the lanterns on short legs are called snow viewing lanterns, and since we live where there is snow I thought they would be appropriate. We also have papirus? growing in the garden.

You could try a topiarised conifer with the bottom pieces more flat that round. We grew one in Wangaratta, it was there when we moved there and in Japanese gardens the new growth is still acceptable I think.

Crepe myrtles are in the Japanese lists they love the sun. Aucubas love dry areas under shade. Daylilies, if you think they will grow in the position are also OK as are lambsears. Aralia grows under trees in Northern Victoria.

Apparently, lavender and rosemary are OK if pruned into ball shapes. You could even use stepping stones or stones arranged into the shape of a turtle with gaps in between. Even rectangle concrete pavers could be used in a path or just with gaps to cover a dry place where grass won't grow. I have been reading some books from the library, and found that some of the things we have been collecting like rectangle blocks of stone and millstone are very good. You may like to include a crane statue instead of a lantern. You can also make fences and arches of bamboo and black twine and bus shelter like place in the garden to sit.

I went to a Japanese influeced garden last week in Harcourt, the place operates as a B&B and it is very nice - yes they have the swept white pebbles but it is softed with a lovely large pond and willow tree and the garden is adapted with Australia natives and lots of interesting shapes using nature - called Jardines