Modern Japanese garden

This west-facing courtyard is sheltered by outbuildings, forming part of a large country residence. The client returned from Japan, wishing to create a Japanese garden, but in a modern approach.

Since the terrain was flat, they lowered the ground to create a sunken rock garden. They craned in six large granite rocks and positioned them along a diagonal axis. These rocks depict the family hierarchy, decreasing in height, while the last rock was turned into a water feature, set into an upper deck.

The surfaces include various granite stones, producing random shapes and sizes, while recycled Yorkstone walls form paths towards the seating areas. Basalt blocks create steps into the sunken area, which is dressed in small, raked granite chippings.

Camellia, ferns, ginkgo, grasses, magnolia, Japanese maple and bamboo infuse Eastern essence. A multistem flowering Cherry forms a focal point in the seating area, with the backdrop of a stone-clad wall. Native box hedges partition the garden, while a clipped Japanese holly cloud tree (Ilex crenata) accentuates the oriental essence.

Floating hardwood decks, underlit at night with LED strip lighting provides seating, in a visual, contemporary contrast to the stone.