Touring a Japanese Garden

Seasoned Gardener : Episode SGN-405 -- More Projects »
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Although you may not be able to build something on such a grand scale as this, you can incorporate some of the basic design elements into your garden.
If you've ever visited a Japanese garden, you know how beautiful and peaceful such a garden can be. The key to creating the look and feel of a Japanese garden is in the design features and the selection of plants and ornamentation. To get a better idea of how the elements can be used in the home garden, Master gardener Chris Dawson visits the Huntington Library in San Marino, California. Its Japanese garden is famous for its design, plantings and presentation based on a centuries-old tradition.

The curator of this garden, Ann Richardson, explains some of the basic elements of the Japanese garden.

  • Space: Western gardeners fill the landscape with plants. The Eastern approach is to leave space in the garden. The emphasis is on the individual plant. For instance, Western gardeners tend to plant flowers or groundcovers around the base of trees to fill it in. A tree in an Asian garden has a clean base that allows you to see the entire form.
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Camellia is used in a Japanese garden to add color during its limited flowering season.
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The quiet, still surface of a pond is a nice place for reflection--of the sky, plants and ornamentation.
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A dry stone water garden is raked to represent moving water.
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A pagoda is a focal point with plants and trees situated around it.
  • Minimal use of color: Green and all its various shades are the primary colors of a Japanese garden. Trees like junipers and pines bring texture and form to the tranquility of the space. Flowering trees are typically placed in the garden to add occasional color. The Japanese apricot is a favorite and is the harbinger of spring. It is in full bloom for a few weeks in mid-winter in Zone 9.
  • Water: A pond, water fountain or waterfall is essential to a Japanese garden. Moving water adds a calming sound in the landscape.
  • Stones: Rock arrangements are one of the most important design elements. Placement may look random, but it is deliberate. The stone of choice is granite that is dark in color and multifaceted. Rocks often symbolize other things: a larger rock among smaller ones symbolizes a master figure like Buddha or a samurai.
  • Ornamentation: Stone lanterns are traditionally used to light pathways.

    These Japanese garden design elements can translate well into the home gardener. As grand as Japanese gardens can be, there are many elements that can be scaled down and incorporated into the average-sized yard.

    • Also in this Episode
    Seasoned Gardener : Episode SGN-405
    •Touring a Japanese Garden
    •Japanese Garden Elements
    •Plants for a Japanese Garden
    •Container Bamboo