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Step 1
Decide which kind of garden you want. There are 5 unique styles: Hill & Pond, Strolling, Teahouse, Dry Landscape, and Courtyard Gardens. Apply "shibusa" to the one you choose. This term describes elegance and simplicity. Don't use formal arrangements or showy specimens, and avoid crowding.
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Step 2
Create focus on foliage instead of flowers. Contrast colors and shades to the best of your ability, and use plenty of evergreens. The garden should still look beautiful in the wintertime. Many gardeners in Japan include certain plants just because of how attractive they look covered in snow.
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Step 3
Before pouring gravel, lay geo-textile underneath to stop weeds from sprouting up. Use off-white colors to prevent glare. Remember that smaller rocks will hold patterns better than larger ones. Also make sure you include a birdbath, fountain, or shallow pond in your garden. Water is an absolute must!
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Step 4
Mix Asian plants with indigenous ones for the perfect garden. Use plants like bamboo, Japanese maple, pines, azaleas, Japanese holly, inkberry holly, ginkgo, dwarf red barberry, ferns, wisteria, and cherry trees. Add extras as you see fit. For example, koi fish look authentic, and they love insects.
