A traditional Japanese-style garden conjures images of a precision-raked gravel area with an artfully pruned evergreen tree in the centre. Hearing the relaxing swish made by the wind moving across bamboo plants gently swaying in the breeze. Paired with gently running water, textural stones and statues, plus predominantly green plants, to help create a peaceful, calm vibe.
Creating the Japanese garden atmosphere
A great part of the charm of a Japanese-style garden is the atmosphere it gives off. And plants play a huge role in creating that feeling of peace and tranquillity engendered by the Japanese style.
Make use of an enclosed space
Enclosing your chosen area with plants is the first step in helping to create a peaceful, reflective space. Better than being distracted by clothes hanging on your neighbour’s washing line, children’s trampolines and the like!
It’s important to choose the right type of screening plants to give a year-round enclosure and fit the garden style. Bamboo suits the style and is evergreen but be sure to choose one that clumps rather than spreads.
Fargesia murielae is a good, non-spreading, choice, reaching a maximum height and spread of around 4 metres x 2.5 metres. It tolerates wind and will grow well in part shade as well as full sun.
Alternatively, Babusa is a medium to large clump-forming plant and both are evergreen.
Use a feature tree
No Japanese-style garden would be complete without the addition of one or more Japanese Maples. There are literally hundreds of varieties to choose from.
Some varieties such as Acer palmatum ‘Katsura’ or ‘Shirazz’ change leaf colour up to three or four times annually!
Cloud-pruned trees are a very popular feature in a Japanese-style garden. Pruned to resemble clouds, choosing an evergreen specimen like Ilex crenata or Pinus mugo will provide a year-round focal point.
Plus, they require very little maintenance, trimming growth just once a year.
Although flowering cherries feature majorly in Japanese culture, they’re rarely found in Japanese gardens. This may be because cherries have only a brief period of flowering and do not take kindly to being regularly pruned.
Also, they can be quite susceptible to disease, especially if pruned at the wrong time of year.
Other trees, more suitable for domestic gardens, to consider are magnificent magnolias such as M. ‘Genie’.
This variety flowers from a young age, opening to an exquisite dark burgundy-red. Or, if you have acidic soil, a beautiful Camellia japonica.
Get the best out of ground cover
Choose evergreen plants with the ability to cover an area quickly and suppress weed growth. Black grass (Ophiopogon nigrescens) is an impactful, stylish choice. Not a true grass, it has jet-black, grass-like leaves and grows to an average height of 20cm. Looks best planted en masse around tree bases where the tree’s stems are on show like a tall Japanese maple.
Another option is the stylish Japanese spurge (Pachysandra terminalis); another low-growing evergreen plant that will grow well in dry shade.
If you want ground cover plants to fill in gaps in walls and paving then mind-your-own-business (Soleirolia soleirolii) is the perfect candidate.
Although its preferred habitat is damp shade, it will grow and spread in most conditions.
Beautiful bonsai
The word ‘bonsai’ literally means ‘tree in a pot’, creating the perfect miniature specimen of a large tree. Ideal placed either directly in the garden or on a table in a Japanese-themed outdoor building. Be sure to choose a plant labelled as ‘Outdoor Bonsai’ to enable it to be kept outdoors year-round.
Japanese maple makes a wonderful bonsai specimen when placed in a sheltered spot. This is because acers dislike windy conditions which scorch their leaves. A bonsai Japanese white pine on the other hand will tolerate wind and full sun.
Mid-height evergreen shrubs
Adding a selection of evergreen shrubs will complete the design. Therefore, creating year-round interest as well as adding to the meditative atmosphere of the garden. Green is the colour of meditation, which is why many Japanese-style gardens are predominantly green.
Mid-height shrubs will also balance the scale between the height of the trees and the low-ground cover plants.
There are many, easy to care for evergreen shrubs available to choose from such as the heavenly bamboo, (Nandina domestica). Its rustling green leaves turn shades of purple during the spring and winter months.
Additionally, Japanese aralia (Fatsia japonica), is a shade-loving shrub with large, palm-shaped, glossy green leaves, offering a strikingly architectural appearance.
Christmas box (Sarcococca confusa) produces flowers during the winter months. These, although small, are laden with a sweet scent that delights wafting around the garden on a cold, winter’s morning.
Think evergreen, textural leaves and simple planting patterns and you’ll be well on the way to creating your own peaceful, Japanese-inspired haven.
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David Domoney is a Chartered Horticulturalist, Broadcaster, and Author. David has worked with a number of the UK’s leading garden retailers as a plant buyer and strategic consultant. With more than 30 years experience, in horticulture, David is as passionate about plants now as he was when he bought his first plant at a village fete.
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