Installing a Japanese Garden

The order was placed for the plant material for the Japanese garden inspired by the French Asian room. Since ranges were given for quantities, I knew the design wasn’t finalized. Later in the day, I stopped by the project to see how it was coming along. With the temperature at 104 and a much higher heat index, the plants and the landscapers were melting. It was not a good day for inspiring thoughts in the inspiration garden. However, the designers persevered.

The inspiration garden was taking shape. The three moss covered rocks had been placed outside the window in the area where the raked gravel and path would go. The Shantung Maple is placed on the corner next to the house with a section of iron fence behind it. Small Japanese Bloodgood Maples and Tanyosho Pines are in this garden. A Young’s Weeping Serpentine Birch is in the far corner. The liriope will be planted around the base of a water feature later. A stone wall wraps around two sides of the garden and is broken up with iron fence. The garden is enclosed from the patio by Boxwood on one side of the path that leads into the garden and yet to be decided plant on the other. From inside the French Asian room, the homeowner will have a view of the entire enclosed garden. In the winter, the lines of the weeping serpentine birch will be a feature of the garden.

The patio plantings were coming together also. Stairs to the lower garden level separate the inspiration garden from the rest of the patio gardens. In the oval shape raised garden next to the stairs, the Cascade Falls Weeping Bald Cypress is placed behind a moss covered rock with a Buddha in front. The Procumbens and Gold Lace Junipers cover the garden floor and will cascade over sections of the sitting wall softening the hardscape. White, yellow and purple flowering Butterfly Bush are planted in front of a short wall of the adjacent garden. As this garden makes a curve, there is another weeping serpentine birch. The garden wall is taller now with summer flowering tree form hydrangeas in front of part of it. Next there is a water feature. The garden ends with the Rowe Arobretum Lacebark Pine next to the water feature and helps block the view from the driveway. From inside the house, the homeowner will have a view of all of the patio gardens, especially the weeping bald cypress and Buddha.

Perennials and other other small filler plants will be added later giving more foliage color and texture and flowers to the garden.

I’ve enjoyed my small role in this ongoing project. And, I can’t wait to see it completed. But, considering this whole property redo has been going on for a couple of years and still has a year to go, the homeowner is probably more excited to see it wrapped up.

Part 1 – Creating a Japanese Garden

Part 2 – Plant Shopping for a Japanese Garden

Click on Plants and Bulbs for more articles by Susan Mertz.