Lay of the Landscape: Japanese Garden Design
Tranquil and serene, a Japanese garden creates a relaxing retreat where every element plays a vital role
Japanese gardens may seem almost bare and simplistic, but designing a true Japanese garden is not a simple task. Every element is carefully chosen and placed to create a look of seamless beauty that reflects the natural world outside the garden walls. There is a balance and sense of symmetry, but there are also imperfections: rough-edged rocks; trees bent and twisted by the wind. The garden may be enclosed, but it may still take advantage of a borrowed view. Blending these opposites into a single space is the hallmark of a true Japanese garden.
Creating a Japanese garden takes time and effort — even a quick look at the design principles may overwhelm you. There are numerous types of Japanese gardens, from those designed just for viewing to those designed to lead you on a slow, meandering journey through them. There's an even larger number of rules and meanings for elements ranging from stones to trees to lanterns, and often, you'll encounter conflicting advice. On the plus side, there are lots of groups, classes, books and websites devoted to the intricacies of creating these spaces.
If you love the style but aren't quite ready for a full commitment, you can incorporate many of the basic elements in your own space to capture the feel. Below is a look at some of the basic design elements of a Japanese garden, as well as some borrowed from other Asian cultures.
Getting Started
The first rule of creating a Japanese garden is to work with what you have. You may want to create mounds or streams, maybe even a pond, but you shouldn't try to rework your given space completely. Instead, determine how what you have to work with can be used to create the effect you want.
Japanese gardens are intended to replicate the natural world in a small space. Because of that, fences and gates are important. Not only do they provide boundaries, when you step through them, you are instantly transported to this world.
However, a self-contained space doesn't mean the gardener can forget the outside world. Instead, cut openings into a fence to incorporate a distant or nearby feature such as a mountain vista or tree in bloom. Plantings may conceal part of the fence to soften it and hint at a world beyond, or the fence itself may be painted to blend into the rest of the yard. A gate might not shut out the space, but instead allow glimpses into the yard or the natural surroundings.
Japanese gardens are designed to be enjoyed year-round. For that reason, the basic structure of the garden is important. It must look equally beautiful stripped of leaves or covered in snow as it does in the height of spring and summer.
Basic Elements
A beautiful Japanese garden projects a look of seamless and effortless natural beauty. In truth, each element in the landscape, from the materials underfoot to the shrubs and trees, has been thoughtfully chosen and placed. They also have symbolic meanings that can guide their use.
While the plantings are usually the first thing a gardener thinks of, in a Japanese garden the non-living elements play a major role. Stone is key. Sand and pebbles are often used as paving, and larger boulders may be scattered throughout the space or used as bridges or representations of temple walls. Water is also key, whether it's a waterfall, stream, small pond or simple water basin. A small structure, such as a tea house or pavilion, may also be included. You needn't use all of these features, and in a small space, too many would be overwhelming, but they're good places to start.
Plantings
Certain plants and accent pieces reinforce the feel of an Asian garden. Japanese maples and bamboo are a given, but mugho pines, ginkgos, ornamental cherries and plums, as well as any tree with an unusual form, are good choices. Shrubs generally emphasize foliage rather than flowers, but a spring-blooming azalea wouldn't be inappropriate. Bonsai, either in pots scattered throughout the space or showcased on a wall or patio, can always be used. The overall planting scheme may be fairly dense, reflecting a shaded woodland, or surprisingly minimal, even to the point of being a rock garden.
Finishing Touches
When it comes to accent pieces, stone lanterns are always appropriate. Bamboo in some form, such as a fence, a gate or a water spout leading into a basin, is a natural addition. You can also work in stylized gates or benches and other Japanese-inspired accents. And nothing could be more appropriate than a koi pond.
Creating a Japanese garden takes time and effort — even a quick look at the design principles may overwhelm you. There are numerous types of Japanese gardens, from those designed just for viewing to those designed to lead you on a slow, meandering journey through them. There's an even larger number of rules and meanings for elements ranging from stones to trees to lanterns, and often, you'll encounter conflicting advice. On the plus side, there are lots of groups, classes, books and websites devoted to the intricacies of creating these spaces.
If you love the style but aren't quite ready for a full commitment, you can incorporate many of the basic elements in your own space to capture the feel. Below is a look at some of the basic design elements of a Japanese garden, as well as some borrowed from other Asian cultures.
Getting Started
The first rule of creating a Japanese garden is to work with what you have. You may want to create mounds or streams, maybe even a pond, but you shouldn't try to rework your given space completely. Instead, determine how what you have to work with can be used to create the effect you want.
Japanese gardens are intended to replicate the natural world in a small space. Because of that, fences and gates are important. Not only do they provide boundaries, when you step through them, you are instantly transported to this world.
However, a self-contained space doesn't mean the gardener can forget the outside world. Instead, cut openings into a fence to incorporate a distant or nearby feature such as a mountain vista or tree in bloom. Plantings may conceal part of the fence to soften it and hint at a world beyond, or the fence itself may be painted to blend into the rest of the yard. A gate might not shut out the space, but instead allow glimpses into the yard or the natural surroundings.
Japanese gardens are designed to be enjoyed year-round. For that reason, the basic structure of the garden is important. It must look equally beautiful stripped of leaves or covered in snow as it does in the height of spring and summer.
Basic Elements
A beautiful Japanese garden projects a look of seamless and effortless natural beauty. In truth, each element in the landscape, from the materials underfoot to the shrubs and trees, has been thoughtfully chosen and placed. They also have symbolic meanings that can guide their use.
While the plantings are usually the first thing a gardener thinks of, in a Japanese garden the non-living elements play a major role. Stone is key. Sand and pebbles are often used as paving, and larger boulders may be scattered throughout the space or used as bridges or representations of temple walls. Water is also key, whether it's a waterfall, stream, small pond or simple water basin. A small structure, such as a tea house or pavilion, may also be included. You needn't use all of these features, and in a small space, too many would be overwhelming, but they're good places to start.
Plantings
Certain plants and accent pieces reinforce the feel of an Asian garden. Japanese maples and bamboo are a given, but mugho pines, ginkgos, ornamental cherries and plums, as well as any tree with an unusual form, are good choices. Shrubs generally emphasize foliage rather than flowers, but a spring-blooming azalea wouldn't be inappropriate. Bonsai, either in pots scattered throughout the space or showcased on a wall or patio, can always be used. The overall planting scheme may be fairly dense, reflecting a shaded woodland, or surprisingly minimal, even to the point of being a rock garden.
Finishing Touches
When it comes to accent pieces, stone lanterns are always appropriate. Bamboo in some form, such as a fence, a gate or a water spout leading into a basin, is a natural addition. You can also work in stylized gates or benches and other Japanese-inspired accents. And nothing could be more appropriate than a koi pond.
Photos & Products
Balance tempered by imperfection results in a perfect example of Japanese garden design. The Japanese maples on either side of this path almost matchin color and placement, but contrast completely in size. They also provide a bright spot of color in an otherwise green landscape.
The lantern and upright boulder at the end of the path match in size and color but differ in form, from the obviously manmade to the obviously natural. Even the color of the Asian-inspired gridded fence matches that of the tree bark, and both blend with the soft colors of the plantings. The end result is a cohesive and peaceful space that mimics the natural world.
The lantern and upright boulder at the end of the path match in size and color but differ in form, from the obviously manmade to the obviously natural. Even the color of the Asian-inspired gridded fence matches that of the tree bark, and both blend with the soft colors of the plantings. The end result is a cohesive and peaceful space that mimics the natural world.
A shade garden, a common Japanese garden design, also blends symmetry with asymmetry. The stone pathway, made of similar but not matching pavers, twists a bit as it follows the fence line. Surrounded by a low ground cover that resembles moss (an often-used ground cover itself), the path disappears at the end of the yard. You may know intellectually that it just goes to the fence, but it appears to continue to a distant destination. Boulders and mixed plantings line the path in a casual and irregular mix that creates a sense of both balance and movement. Although most of the elements come straight out of nature, the dark stone lantern hints at a human presence.
Water elements are key, whether natural or manmade. In a sea of boulders, an obviously manmade bridge still fits in. It's wide and flat enough to reassure those who don't feel confident boulder hopping, while the rough-hewn sides give it a natural texture. Normally, the Japanese maples would be the color accent in this space, but in spring, flowering cherry trees are the highlight.
Even the suggestion of water in the garden can be enough. A dry creek bed, with handy stone pads leading to and from a low bridge, is the focal point in this space. Even the stone lantern almost disappears next to it. And again, though the yard is not endless, the streambed itself is designed to disappear around the corner, giving it the look of continuing into the distance.
In this cool, Zen-like garden, a gravel-filled expanse stands in for an actual pond. The low-set (almost disappearing) path through the space seems to head toward the accent lantern on wishbone legs, but instead turns out of sight just before reaching it. The result is a cohesive, low-key space that is still full of surprises.
Architectural details that surround the garden are also important. This small courtyard has the elements of Japanese garden design — gravel, water, accent tree — but with a contemporary twist. Rather than a natural-looking pond and soft-edge gravel patio, which are usually hallmarks of a Japanese garden, straight edges border the tiered water feature and patio. The accent tree is thin but tall rather than low. Even the furniture has a modern look, with the extended benches and not-quite-nature-inspired green. But the end result is just as peaceful as a traditional Japanese garden.
While Japanese gardens can work with a number of different architectural styles, it helps if you can add a coordinating look to the home. This ranch house underwent a simple but effective transformation, from the color and look of the siding and the gridded end gable to the door and lanternlike light. The large stone surface is practical and in keeping with the character. Although the plantings are minimal, they reinforce the look.
Use plantings and accent pieces wisely and sparingly to finish the space. A small planting mound serves as the base for a glorious tree. The rest of the plantings and accents are generally muted, from the unobtrusive stone bench on the lawn to the neatly clipped junipers next to the patio. The screen, however, holds its own. Again, its color and design reflects that of the tree, but the juxtaposition of the natural and the manmade provides contrast. And as with a disappearing streambed or path, the screen also hides the exact spot where the space ends.
Boulders, a stone path and small evergreens turn an underused small garden bed into an interesting landscape feature. Nothing is overdone or overstated, but it highlights a little bit of nature in a small space.
A simple stone water basin and bamboo water spout, with grasslike plantings nearby, are all you need to turn a neglected corner into a contemplative garden. Both stone planters and bamboo spouts can be found in nurseries and specialty stores as well as online (though shipping costs for the planter may be very high due to weight).
In a small space, bamboolike grasses are a better alternative to most actual bamboos. Even in a large garden, bamboos can be invasive unless you take stern measures to control their invasive roots.
In a small space, bamboolike grasses are a better alternative to most actual bamboos. Even in a large garden, bamboos can be invasive unless you take stern measures to control their invasive roots.
A moon gate is another simple way to add an Asian feel to a space. Although the round opening traditionally would extend from the overhead to the ground, this version is a good, and easily secured, alternative that allows an intriguing view to the space beyond.
A temple bell replica inevitably draws people to it. This soft blue bell, set in a sea of green with a nearby boulder standing guard, proves that a focal point needn't be a glaring contrast with the rest of the space.
The temple bell is a strong feature, but the entire space has great design elements, from the careful placement of stone and plants to the soft color of the purple foliage and the unusual fence.
The temple bell is a strong feature, but the entire space has great design elements, from the careful placement of stone and plants to the soft color of the purple foliage and the unusual fence.
Notice how the surrounding plantings gently frame this statue. If you wish to place a Buddha in your garden, no matter what size, be sure that it includes the entire body. Placing only the head is disrespectful.
Nothing says Japanese garden more than a koi pond. They also can be entertaining; aficionados say that the flash of orange and gold in the moving water can keep them mesmerized for hours.
Koi societies abound; check for local experts to learn more about keeping koi in your particular area, especially if you have harsh winters. Generally, ponds should be between 3 and 6 feet deep, though they can be much deeper. Sides should be straight-edged to protect the fish from predators such as raccoons, herons, cranes and other wildlife.
Koi societies abound; check for local experts to learn more about keeping koi in your particular area, especially if you have harsh winters. Generally, ponds should be between 3 and 6 feet deep, though they can be much deeper. Sides should be straight-edged to protect the fish from predators such as raccoons, herons, cranes and other wildlife.