“Japanese-style gardens can be built in any climate, even in the desert,” Hartlage says. While the basic principles can be applied anywhere, designers insist on the importance of utilizing local materials and native plant species to adapt them to unique climatic conditions. “For our firm in Los Angeles, it’s less about replication and more about translation,” Reibel says. “We reinterpret the spatial language using local stone, climate-adapted planting, and regionally appropriate materials. The goal is to create something that echoes the philosophy of the tradition.”
Simlai points out that the amount of sun penetrating a garden can have a big impact on what tree species and ground covers are appropriate. “In a tropical setting, we often design a Japanese garden that is well-shaded either by the architecture or a bosk of fragrant trees,” she notes. “We carefully choose local species that resonate and thrive in the local environmental conditions. That is harmony.”
Finally, remember—and embrace—the fact that the Japanese garden is a cultural tradition with its own heritage. “A garden in California will never fully be a Japanese garden,” Sedlacek says. “It is inspired by Japanese culture, and it is our job to do our best interpreting the style, while knowing our approach will be our own version.”
Why are Japanese gardens so popular?
This minimalist garden in San Francisco by AD PRO Directory member Surfacedesign in collaboration with John Maniscalco Architects and Siteworks Landscape uses basalt stone, limestone pavers, and a collection of sculptural Japanese maple trees.
Photo: Marion Brenner
With the increased noise and chaos of modern life, many people are seeking the peace and tranquility embodied in Japanese gardens. Because they are centered on evoking a meditative calmness, as residential gardens, they offer an escape from the recent convergence of work and life. Many designers report clients returning from travels to Japan with stories of “taking the deepest exhale” while visiting a temple garden and wishing to recreate it at home, tapping into a more spiritual connection to nature.
What are the five elements of a Japanese garden?
Stone provides structure and grounding. Water introduces reflection and sound. Trees and plants are minimal but expressive, emphasizing texture and form over volume. Perhaps most critically, there’s the use of void: space that allows for pause, and the opportunity to contemplate, as Japanese gardens allow our senses to rest and absorb the beauty of the scenery all around. Finally, the element of time is essential. Even the most spectacular stones and tree specimens must meld to the site and to each other as they grow. Only then will the garden feel whole.
What are the challenges in designing Japanese gardens?
Achieving the level of precision and detail required for Japanese gardens can be difficult, designers say. Every view, from the alignment of a boulder to the pruning of a tree, must be intentional. The designs also require long-term thinking, as their beauty is revealed slowly, through time and care.
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