Reducing the Japanese garden to minimalism does not do justice to the sophisticated concept. Only a combination of authentic components transfers Asian garden art to the front garden. You can find out here which plants and decorative elements are used to create this creative masterpiece.
What characterizes a Japanese front garden?
A Japanese front garden is characterized by evergreen shrubs, deciduous trees, grasses and moss and is complemented by decorative elements such as gravel, water features and stone decorations. Bamboo mats or boxwood hedges serve as privacy screens and complete the Far Eastern ambience.
Plants for a Far Eastern idyll – tips for the green basic chord
Green is the dominant color in the Japanese garden, whereas colorful flowers only appear in spots. Small, evergreen shrubs and trees therefore have priority in the design plan, followed by deciduous trees with decorative autumn colors. The following species and varieties create an Asian flair in your front garden:
- Conifers: dwarf yew (Taxus baccata), dwarf juniper (Juniperus squamata), arborvitae (Thuja)
- Evergreen deciduous trees: boxwood (Buxus sempervirens), cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)
- Shrubs with colorful autumn colors: red Japanese maple (Acer palmatum), blood barberry (Berberis thunbergii)
- Grasses: Bearskin fescue (Festuca gautieri), feather bristle grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Little Bunny')
- Moss: Star moss (Sagina subulata) or collected moss from the forest
In Japanese gardening, flowers and perennials act as a blooming contrast to the basic green accord. Therefore, sprinkle a few peonies (Paeonia) or irises (Iris) into the appearance. Azaleas and small rhododendron bushes are also welcome.
Fundamental elements – gravel and water
In addition to the basic elements of green plants and moss, gravel and water are among the fundamental design factors in the Japanese garden. If space allows, incorporate a pond, stream or small water feature into the design plan. With gravel you can not only mulch the bed areas so that they are free of weeds. Raked in curved lines, use white gravel to simulate running water in a small area.
Tips for stylish decoration
With individual decorative elements you can create mood-enhancing eye-catchers in a spartan appearance. A stone mini Buddha (€6.00 at Amazon) fits in just as harmoniously as the lantern made of shimmering metal. A wooden bench invites you to linger, flanked by stone steles and pagodas. Silver balls create eye-catching accents when placed in the middle of the green plant community.
Tip
To equip your Japanese front garden with a stylish privacy screen, high mats made of bamboo cane are ideal. These also serve as an ideal temporary solution until a boxwood hedge as a fence has reached the required height after a few years to protect your front garden from prying eyes.
