Japanese Garden Design: Key Features and Inspiration
Mossy Stream Detail — Japanese Garden Inspiration, London, Photo by Olga Stritar
Japanese gardens are celebrated worldwide for their tranquil beauty, purposeful design, and reflection of nature. Every element, from rocks and water to plants and even open space, is deliberately placed to evoke harmony and contemplation. Rather than relying on ornate structures or colorful flower beds, Japanese gardens use subtle arrangements of natural elements to create an idealized miniature landscape. This approach has timeless appeal—at the 2025 Chelsea Flower Show in London, Kazuyuki Ishihara’s “Cha no Niwa” (tea garden) won top honors for its exquisite detail and serenity. Below, we explore the key design features of Japanese gardens and how you can adapt them to your own Bay Area landscape.
Embracing Nature’s Aesthetics: Wabi-Sabi and Balance
At the heart of Japanese garden design is wabi-sabi—the beauty of imperfection and natural aging. Classic Zen gardens like Ryōan-ji in Kyoto exemplify this, where the patina of old walls and weathered rocks reflect a worldview that finds beauty in simplicity and age. Practically, this means using natural materials such as stone, wood, and bamboo, and welcoming moss, lichen, or weathering as part of the garden’s evolving character.
By Bernard Gagnon
Balance through asymmetry is another hallmark. Unlike formal European gardens with strict symmetry, Japanese gardens favor irregular groups of stones or shrubs, set at uneven intervals to mimic the randomness of nature. Designers balance “positive” spaces (with rocks, plants, or structures) and “negative” spaces (such as open gravel or water) to create visual rhythm and allow each feature to be appreciated without clutter.
A core aesthetic principle is that green is a color in its own right. Japanese gardens are often a “symphony in green,” relying on varied textures and shades of foliage. Groundcovers like moss (or moss substitutes) create a soft green carpet, evergreens provide structure, and blooms—cherry blossoms, iris, camellia, hydrangea, and Japanese maples in fall—are used as seasonal accents.
Note: In the Bay Area, true moss can be difficult to grow, but groundcovers like baby’s tears or thyme can evoke a similar effect.
Framed Views and “Borrowed Scenery”
A circular window in a Chelsea Flower Show tea house frames a miniaturized landscape of raked gravel, moss, and maple – exemplifying the Japanese technique of carefully framing views (wazakurajapan.com).
Japanese gardens are designed as living paintings, with thoughtfully framed views enjoyed from specific vantage points—a porch, pavilion, or even through a window. Sliding shoji screens in traditional homes reveal perfectly composed scenes, layering raked gravel in the foreground, a grouping of stones or water feature in the middle ground, and trees or distant hills as background. The concept of “borrowed scenery” (shakkei) incorporates distant mountains, trees, or rooftops into the garden’s composition, creating depth and connection to the wider landscape.
When designing, consider the views into your garden from key points such as a living room window or patio. Align focal elements like stone lanterns or specimen trees with these sightlines. Even in the Bay Area, you can use hedges or trees to mask distractions and borrow views of distant water, hills, or sky.
The Art of Reveal and Conceal: Meandering Paths
Japanese gardens are meant to be experienced as a journey. Designers choreograph a sequence of reveals, using winding paths and strategically placed plants to “hide and reveal” scenes. As one Japanese guide notes, “as you walk through the garden, what you see changes with each shift in perspective.” Features are often hidden until the visitor rounds a corner, heightening the sense of discovery.
To bring this into your own garden:
Avoid long, straight sightlines.
Use curved or zigzagging paths and stepping stones to break up views.
Incorporate vertical screens (bamboo, hedges, or trellises) to partially block and reveal focal points.
Even in a small garden, well-placed shrubs or gates can create moments of discovery as the garden unfolds with each step.
In stroll-style gardens, paths often lead around a central pond or lawn, with stepping stones or irregular pavers providing both function and beauty. Each stone is purposefully oriented to slow your pace, helping you appreciate the details and changing views.
Water: Ponds, Streams, and Symbolic Seas
Water is fundamental in Japanese gardens—sometimes literal, sometimes symbolic. The classic maxim, “少し水を入れる” (“include a little water”), highlights how water brings life, reflection, and soothing sound. In large gardens, ponds or streams are central. A pond may represent an ocean or lake, while islands or stones symbolize cranes, turtles, or mythical places—images of longevity and good fortune. Irregular shorelines, bridges, and stepping stones invite changing views and discovery.
In smaller spaces, a tsukubai (stone water basin) is a classic tea garden feature. Even a simple hand-carved basin with a bamboo spout provides a reflective, meditative point.
Sound and movement are carefully considered: narrow streams along paths or under verandas create pleasant effects, and arranging stones beneath cascades is done to achieve specific sounds and a sense of mystery.
「水の流れや音は、庭の“間”や静けさを際立たせる重要な役割を果たす。」
“The flow and sound of water serve to accentuate the ‘ma’ (interval/space) and tranquility of the garden.”
—Kyoto City Official Garden Guide
When running water isn’t practical, white sand or gravel raked in wave-like patterns can symbolize water—a hallmark of Zen dry gardens (karesansui). This creates a contemplative, low-maintenance space, well suited to Bay Area conditions.
Stones, Structures, and Focal Points
Stones are considered the “bones” of the Japanese garden, setting the shape and mood. Place rocks and contour the soil before planting. Boulders, stepping paths, and stone lanterns offer structure and visual interest. Use local granite or basalt for an authentic feel. Group stones in odd numbers, and partially bury them for a natural look.
Structures are minimal but meaningful: a stone lantern or basin, a simple bamboo fence or screen, and, if space allows, a tea house or shaded bench. Each element is placed to complement, not overwhelm, the surrounding landscape.
Plants: Selecting the Palette and Placement
Japanese gardens are lush but restrained. Plants are chosen for shape, texture, and symbolism rather than for constant color. Evergreen trees and shrubs—pines, bamboo, and Japanese maples—provide structure and seasonal beauty. In the Bay Area, Japanese maples (Acer palmatum), black and red pines, and camellias thrive with proper placement and care. Shrubs like azalea and camellia can be clipped into soft mounds for form and bloom.
Groundcover is important to cover bare soil and add softness. Where moss is difficult, try baby’s tears, elfin thyme, or native woodland strawberry for a moss-like effect. Grasses such as Hakonechloa, or sedges in sun, provide a similar texture.
For structure, pair California manzanita (‘Howard McMinn’) or coffeeberry with Japanese maples like ‘Sango-kaku’ or ‘Bloodgood’. In part shade, Hakonechloa macra ‘All Gold’ creates a soft underplanting beneath maples or along paths. Ceanothus and Pacific wax myrtle work well for background screening, while azaleas and camellias provide layered interest and bloom. In our recent projects, we often blend native shrubs with Japanese maples, shade grasses, and camellias for a garden that feels both locally adapted and authentically Japanese.
Arrange plants in naturalistic groupings, not straight lines. Tuck ferns and hostas near water or under shrubs, and place trees off-center for a relaxed look. Leave open space between plant groupings so each can “breathe”—this negative space is essential for a sense of calm. Simplify the plant palette, repeating select species for harmony and cohesion.
Adapting Japanese Design to a Bay Area Home
Designing a Japanese-inspired garden for the Bay Area means blending timeless aesthetics with local climate and maintenance needs.
Start by identifying the purpose or feeling you want—meditation, lush retreat, or a space for strolling. Let this guide your materials and layout.
Consider our Mediterranean climate. Choose drought-tolerant or locally adapted plants, or plan to irrigate traditional species. Use clumping bamboo or root barriers. Incorporate local stone for authenticity. If your soil is heavy, mound or terrace beds for drainage.
Maintenance: If you want less upkeep, keep the design simple. Select a handful of evergreen shrubs, use gravel as ground cover, and anchor with one or two feature trees or boulders. For the truest Zen effect, a single pine, a well-placed rock, and raked gravel can evoke calm. Japanese wisdom reminds us:
「庭づくりも根回しが大切」
Garden-making, too, requires careful groundwork and steady preparation.
The garden is never finished at once but matures over time.
For specialty plants, containers work well—bonsai pines, maples, or azaleas can thrive in large pots. Water features can be self-contained: a bamboo spout over a stone basin with a recirculating pump brings the spirit of a Japanese garden to even the smallest courtyard.
Every successful Japanese-style garden balances negative space (ma 間) with carefully composed groupings, lets each element breathe, and seeks harmony with its surroundings. With thoughtful planning, patience, and attention to detail, you can create a tranquil retreat uniquely suited to the Bay Area.
Finding Inspiration Close to Home
The Bay Area has several Japanese and Japanese-inspired gardens to visit for ideas. Explore San Francisco’s Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park, Hakone Estate and Gardens in Saratoga, the San Mateo Japanese Garden, or the Hayward Japanese Garden for inspiration on plant combinations, stone placement, and path design.
Modern designers continue to reinterpret Japanese garden ideals. As demonstrated at the 2025 RHS Chelsea Flower Show, even small urban gardens can capture the spirit of Kyoto, using subtle elements and scaled-down plants for sanctuary and beauty.
Ready to Create Your Own Sanctuary?
If you’re inspired to create a Japanese-style garden, we’d be delighted to help. Whether you’re ready to begin planning or just exploring ideas, contact us to start a conversation. We look forward to collaborating with you to craft a timeless, tranquil garden that feels right at home in the Bay Area.
