Japanese garden design creates contemplative, serene outdoor spaces through careful balance of stone, water, plants, and negative space. Melbourne’s climate supports many traditional Japanese garden plants, and the style works beautifully in small courtyard spaces common in inner suburbs.
Key Elements
- Stone and gravel — Raked gravel (karesansui) represents water. Feature stones anchor the composition.
- Japanese maples — Acer palmatum varieties provide spectacular autumn colour in Melbourne’s cool climate.
- Bamboo features — Shishi-odoshi (deer scarers) and bamboo screens create authentic accents.
- Water features — Simple stone basins (tsukubai) or small recirculating streams.
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