3 Must-Haves To Create A Peaceful Japanese Garden

From adding appeal and value to improving your home's energy efficiency with shade-producing trees, the benefits of a good landscape design are easy to see. Of course, the different styles that you can include in your yard can be overwhelming. Considering that creating a Japanese garden will improve the look, value, and overall feel of your yard, it is a smart option for your home's landscape design. Using these 3 must-haves, you can easily create your peaceful and attractive Japanese garden.

Plants

A landscape design will not be complete without plants, so doing some research on the best flowers, shrubs, and trees for your Japanese garden is smart. Here are a few attractive options to consider:

• Japanese Maple – The rich color and lush foliage of the Japanese maple tree ensures that it will become a focal point of your garden. The tree can grow up to 25' tall, so make sure to plant the Japanese maple in an area with sufficient space for its potential height.
• Bamboo – Install bamboo plants in your Japanese garden, as well. The green color of bamboo makes a great background for the colorful plants in your garden. Create a screen by planting multiple bamboo plants next to one another. The bamboo screen will add privacy but also intense beauty to your garden.
• Rengyou – The Rengyou weeping shrub offers vibrant yellow blooms in the summer season. This flowering shrub is resistant to drought and easy to grow without much maintenance.

Light

You will most likely want to enjoy your landscape design in the morning, afternoon, and night, so consider installing different light fixtures through your Japanese garden.

To get started, add solar-powered spotlights under the trees in your Japanese garden. Spotlights will highlight the unique shape of the foliage and branches. Be sure to rearrange the spotlights periodically to experiment with the different ways lighting can highlight your tree.

Stone or ceramic Japanese lanterns are also great accents for your garden. Place a solar or battery powered candle in each of your lanterns. Consider using candles that operate on a timer, so you can set the lights to come on at the same time each evening. Arrange the lanterns all around your garden.

Water

If you hope to utilize some of the principles of Feng Shui, incorporating water into your Japanese garden is imperative.

The sound and sight of running water is naturally calming, so it is a great way to promote peace and relaxation in your garden. Also, installing water fountains in certain areas of your yard can increase wealth.

Add an outdoor fountain in a corner of the garden in your backyard. Be sure to position the foundation so the water flows toward your home. Water flowing towards your home will increase wealth. Place a ceramic, stone, or resin dragon statue in the fountain, as well. Without this dragon figure, the Feng Shui principle will only be 20 percent successful.

No matter where you live, you can create a lush, serene, and attractive Japanese garden. With these 3 must-haves, your Japanese garden will become a favorite part of your home.