Our Oriental Rock Garden Design

This Japanese garden design was divided into 3 parts, the foreground, middle distance and background. The foreground contains the level gravel. Similar gravel can be found in front of the mansion. Raked gravel is used represents the trials of life. When our life goes smoothly, the gravel is raked in straight lines. When our life is hard it is raked into waves. In general, the gravel is raked straight, but curved around the rocks. The middle distance does contain a pond with land jutting out from the sides. This helps to increase the spaciousness. The rear of the pond does contain focal points of dry waterfalls, a bridge and rock island.

The background consists of an enclosing hill and trees that merge into the hills. This is making use of borrowed scenery. Careful placement of rocks is symbolic of the raging rapids. The secret for a successful Japanese garden design is to have something in the centre. The centre should never be open.

Significant Plants used in Japanese Garden Design

Mandarin and cherry trees are suitable for your Japanese garden. Design a mandarin and a cherry tree into your concept. The cherry blossom is symbolic of the birth of spring, time is moving on and the seasons are changing. The symbolism is also applicable for your lifes journey. Use lotus flowers in the water feature. Azaleas are also famous in Japanese gardens. Sacred bamboo, clean cut with woody stems removed are essential for the garden design. This plant will love shade. This Japanese garden consists of three distinct areas. The first is the wooden deck which has integrated the garden with the home. It has thereby introduced the human aspect. It is focused on using natural materials such as wood and bamboo. A stone water basin is placed at your entrance. This will allow visitors to cleanse their, hands, mouth and spirit.

The dry stone garden is used to symbolize the ruggedness and strength of nature. The raked gravel represents our trials of life. The water in our pond reflects the natural landscape, symbolic of the spiritual reflections your visitors will experience. The whole garden is an imitation of nature on a smaller scale. It mimics mountains, lakes and fields and represents life journey of the gardens owner. As a variation, you may could the wooden deck with a gazebo or pergola. The shelter could provide greater enjoyment of your garden.

Plant List for the Japanese Garden Design:

1. Mixed planting:

Ferns, grasses and irises Liriope muscari Rumohra adiantiformis Ophiopogon japonicus Kyoto Scirpus cernius

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

All season evergreen lawn (instead of moss) Sagina Aurea Phyllostachys viridi bambusoides Sulphurea Pinus thunbergiana Ficus Natasha Nandina domestica pygmaea Camelia japonica Azalea Leptospermum scoparium Cherry Brandy Rhaphiolepis Kruschenia Acer palmatum atropurpureum

big blue lilyturf- Liriope muscari It is a tufted, grass-like perennial which typically grows 3045 cm (1218 in) tall and features clumps of strap-like, arching, glossy, dark green leaves to inch wide (1.3 cm). Clumps slowly expand by short stolons to a width of about 30 cm (12 in), but plants do not spread aggressively.

Kyoto- Ophiopogon japonicas It is an evergreen, sod-forming perennial plant. The leaves are linear, 2040 cm long. The flowers are white to pale lilac, borne in a short raceme on a 510 cm stem. The fruit is a blue berry 5 mm diameter.[1] The roots are large stolens with tuberous roots.

Sagina subulata Aurea

An extremely popular groundcover plant, this forms a very low moss-like carpet of bright neonyellow foliage. Tiny little white flowers begin to appear in late spring. Excellent for filling in between the cracks of flagstone paving, in the rock garden as a lawn substitute.

Japanese Bamboo -Phyllostachys viridi bambusoides

Japanese bamboo grows 4 to 8 feet tall with stout, bushy, somewhat woody stalks. It spreads rapidly by stout underground rhizomes and offshoots or "suckers."

Cherry tree Prunus serrulata

The Japanese cherry tree tends to be anywhere from 40 to 50 feet in height and somewhere between 25 and 40 feet in width. Adult trees can obviously grow larger and wider; however, due to the relatively narrow and specific climate conditions in which the trees thrive, these larger trees are rare.

heavenly bamboo - Nandina domestica 'Pygmaea' Height: 3 to 4 feet Spread: 1 to 3 feet

Grow in average, medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Some tolerance for full shade, but foliage is probably brighter in sun. Tolerates drought and wide range of soils, but prefers moist, humusy soils. Best fruiting occurs when grown in groups as opposed to single specimens. This shrub is evergreen in warm winter climates, but typically loses its foliage (becomes deciduous) as soon as winter temperatures dip below 10F.

Rose of winter - Camellia japonica height: 8-15 width: 5-10

Camellia japonica is a flowering tree or shrub, usually 1.56 metres (4.920 ft) tall, but occasionally up to 11 metres (36 ft) tall. Some cultivated varieties achieve a size of 72m or more. The youngest branches are purplish-brown, becoming grayish-brown as they age. The alternate leathery leaves are dark green on the top side, paler on the underside, usually 511 centimetres (2.04.3 in) long by 2.56 centimetres (1.02.4 in) wide with a stalk (petiole) about 510 millimetres (0.20.4 in) long. The base of the leaf is pointed (cuneate), the margins are very finely toothed (serrulate) and the tip somewhat pointed.

Azaleas (pron.: /zeli/) are flowering shrubs comprising two of the eight subgenera of the genus Rhododendron, Tsutsuji (evergreen) and Pentanthera(deciduous). Azaleas bloom in spring in the Northern hemisphere and in winter in the Southern hemisphere, their flowers often lasting several weeks. Shade tolerant, they prefer living near or under trees.

Rhododendron Albrechtii. ( Deciduous Species Azalea). Open, clematis-like 1 inch pink flowers in April and May. Height and spread 8ft x 8ft. Hardy, but best in a sheltered position in part shade to protect the early flowerbuds from damage. Rhododendron Reticulatum. ( Deciduous Species Azalea). Star shaped purple blooms in May. Height and spread 8ft x 8ft. Very hardy.

Maple tree Acer palmatum is a deciduous shrub or small tree reaching heights of 6 to 10 m (20 to 33 ft), rarely 16 metres (52 ft), often growing as an understory plant in shady woodlands. It may have multiple trunks joining close to the ground. In habit, it is often shaped like a hemisphere (especially when younger) or takes on a dome-like form, especially when mature.