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Japanese garden plants?

hey im about to make a Japanese garden and i was wondering what plants i should use i know that im going to use Japanese maples what else should i use and do u have any tips for me to?

Public Comments

1. It depends where you live. But if you can have Japanese Maples in your climate, most of these will live there too: Heavenly Bamboo, Nandina domestica - not a real bamboo. The regular full-size type, the Compacta type and 'Orihime' are prettiest. Azaleas, especially the small-leaved varieties like the Kurume type - specific examples are Hino Crimson, Snow, Hino-degiri, Fashion Aucubas - I like the solid green leaf ones like Dwarf Green and Roxanne, for shady parts Dwarf Pines like Mugo Pine Japanese Garden Juniper - Juniperus procumbens 'Nana' Japanese Black Pine Ornamental Quince -Chaenomeles speciosa Spireas like Bridal Wreath Spirea and Shirobana Dwarf and non-invasive bamboos - my favorite is Kuma Zasa Bamboo - Sasa veitchii, especially lovely in the wintertime. Ginkgo biloba if you have room for a full size tree. Well, those will give you a start. Tips; - Keep things simple. Pick 4 or 5 plants you like and repeat them in clusters and drifts instead of onesy-twosy. - Frame a distant view like a lake, a mountain, or a neighbor's pretty tree the other side. - Put some "fake" water in it. By that I mean a dry creek bed with smooth round rocks, or a perfectly flat space of moss or dark-colored smooth concrete to symbolize a lake or pond without all the hassle and expense of real water. Since nothing else in nature sits perfectly flat, flat spaces read to the human eye and mind as still water. Disguise it with a naturalistic "shore" like sand. - Do not clutter the garden with little temples and lanterns and statuettes. One of each should be the limit, and you don't have to have any. Well you should at least have one Japanese lantern sitting on a rock, surrounded by two more rocks, stepping down in size. Zen Japanese Gardens are super cool. I wish you success!
2. Our entire yard is Japanese influenced from plant and tree choices to design and form of objects such as walkways, arbors, and decking. All plants in previous answer are good choices. Though most attractive bamboos are invasive, so be careful in choosing one, or be prepared to confine them. The most important thing I have found in Japanese gardening is that all plants, trees, and shrubs should be pruned and formed to appear perfect. One messy or untrimmed tree or shrub will take away from the overall appearance. Also water is essential in creating a relaxing zen like feeling in the garden. The sound of running water is very soothing (we have 8 water features in our yard). Statues and large stones placed in the right spot make a big difference for overall effect. So consider where you might put these other elements ( if you choose to use them) when planning you're plant scape. One more thing, Japanese irises are beautiful additions to your garden. They are awesome when they bloom, come in many colors, and they multiply quickly, so they can be separated every year and transplanted elsewhere ( a few of them will go a long way over the years). It sounds like a lot of work but it is worth it. Hope this helps and happy zen gardening.