waterfall splashes down a rocky bank studded with vivid azaleas and rhododendrons in a Vancouver garden that also incorporates the Japanese principle of shakkei—“borrowing” the distant view. Photo by Janis Nicolay
Islands of Calm
Three gorgeous gardens capture the essence of Japanese style, yet stay true to their West-Coast roots
Plants, water, wood and stone are rarely combined more exquisitely than in a Japanese garden. Every element has special significance and is placed with care according to elaborate design principles developed over many centuries. The three private BC gardens featured here take more than a page from Japanese garden design, but are still distinctive—and distinctively Canadian, using local materials and many non-Japanese plants to achieve the effect.
Each garden has a centrepiece structure—one has an open-walled, Japanese-style pavilion called an azumaya, used for meditation and garden viewing; the second has a glass-sided dining room that extends from the house over the pond; and the third features a Japanese tea house that combines traditional and contemporary elements. These buildings are skillfully integrated into the landscapes, melding with ponds, rocks and simple plant palettes, proving that gardening under the (Japanese) influence can be a serene and beautiful thing.
* Four Season Garden
* Tranquil Garden
* Tea-house Garden
Keep reading for our elements to find out what makes a tranquil Japanese garden.
Want to experience it yourself? Take a look through our listings to find a public Japanese garden near you.
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