I think your right, the client's (or viewer's) culture has to be accounted for in order to make the garden relevant. I guess the question is to what degree, and should we therefore be incorporating objects and materials which we are intrinsically familiar with from our own cultures when creating Japanese gardens in our own countries? And if so, it makes me wonder what does the American, Canadian, or European culture have that equates to the tsukubai, the stone lantern, the bamboo fence, the teahouse? These elements, through many stages of refinement, have achieved an almost perfected balance of function and form, of nature and man, of earthly and spiritual. American culture, as an example, is so (relatively) young that there seems to be a very shallow pool do draw something from with a meaningful cultural significance. Perhaps i am just being creatively lazy, but it seems much more efficient to use icons from other much older cultures and explain their meanings to the uninformed (who ask) than it is to start from scratch finding our own icons where few seem to have any relevance. At the same time, while the specific cultural cues give the details of the story and distinguish the garden from nature-at-large, it is the universal themes and relationships which are probably the most effective way to convey the essence of the garden's design/intent/idea/message/lesson/feeling/mood/fuzei to the 'average' client/viewer. These things often tend to be psychological responses and instincts cued by the senses. -christian

There is an enormous size differential here though - I have just cut back the kirengoshoma stems (which had been savaged by a furious hailstorm) and they are easily 3-4 feet tall. True, it has been growing in a sheltered space next to a brick wall, but compared to the neat liriope (a somewhat drab utilitarian thing, I find). I am having difficulty seeing them as a binary either/or choice. The hailstorm occurred back in June so I have spent all summer being mortified by the wretched state of the kirengoshoma's foliage - the 4inch leaves do not possess the substance of a hosta and they have looked grim (along with a red-leaved acer which has borne white scars of damage also)...so if you do live in an inclement climate, it might be a consideration.

Well I know there are tons more plants in this world but I was just referring to the most commonly used ones that I thought I was confident on knowing. But apparently not! I need more learning. And then theres all your tropical plants as well... Last year I bought and planted a bleeding heart that was blooming in May. So I think its more of a May flowering in my zone. Seriously though, I have been researching like a maniac on perennials that reliably bloom in April but still nothing :( Everything that blooms in spring is in late spring and the ones that gardengal posted are good but they are mostly uncommon plants and can't find it so easily in nurseries.

Laura did you keep the trunk free of growth? I hear so many different opinions and just not sure what to do. My Sambukan is growing really everywhere and also on the trunk new growth. Some say leave it to strengthen the trunk and others think it would be better to keep it clean. Your tree looks beautiful and just wondering what you did??