Portfolios Archive - The Japanese Garden Centre

Japanese Garden, Haringey

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Dimensions: 25m²
Build time: 1 weeks

This garden was designed to create a calm and immersive retreat, where every detail draws the eye and encourages exploration. Positioned at the same level as the paving, the water feature becomes a focal point both within the garden and when viewed from inside the house. A 60cm shallow bachi is paired with a 120cm horizontal bamboo spout, emerging from layered evergreen planting to create a gentle flow of water and a tranquil atmosphere. Traditional kneeling stones and Scottish cobbles complete the composition, while silver-grey granite palisades define the raised bed and introduce strong architectural lines softened by evergreen planting of dwarf Rhododendron ‘Bloombux’.

The raised planting scheme combines texture, movement, and year-round structure. Tall clump-forming Fargesia bamboo, Pieris ‘Little Heath’ shrubs, and Ophiopogon ‘Kokuryu’ ground cover were carefully selected to provide evergreen interest, while Scottish cobbles add a clean, contemporary finish. The flowing shape of the bed introduces movement and helps soften the overall layout.

To one side of the garden, the space transitions down into a tranquil gravel garden. A meandering pathway of irregular silver-grey stepping stones winds through 14mm zen gravel, encouraging a slower journey through the space. Along the route, carefully placed Japanese-inspired features including a Kiso Tenka Chaya lantern, traditional Oribe granite lantern, and blue-grey granite stone groupings, create moments of balance and interest throughout the garden.

Layered planting provides contrast in colour, texture, and form, with a tall green Acer palmatum acting as a central focal point and natural screen to the far patio area. A cascading Acer ‘Garnet’, Loropetalum, Nandina domestica, Fatsia japonica, ferns, junipers, and soft ground cover planting, Soleirolia soleirolii (mind-you-own-business), all contribute to the calming atmosphere and evolving character of the space.

As access to the garden was only possible through the house, material selection formed an important part of the design process. Every element needed to be practical to transport while remaining in scale with the garden and maintaining a refined finish. Through thoughtful planning and careful detailing, the finished space feels larger and more immersive than a typical standard-shaped garden. The winding pathway, layered planting, and carefully framed focal points work together to create depth, intrigue, and a sense of discovery throughout the landscape.

Client

Private Garden, Haringey

Project Date

April, 2026

Category

Private Japanese Gardens

Gyo Path, Reigate

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Dimensions: 90m²
Build time: 4 weeks

A long standing customer of ours recently moved to another house and asked us to design and landscape her garden. The space is wide adjoining the rear of the house so we created a practical composite deck area, where the garden then narrows down and runs to the rear boundary.

Using our new GYO style paving material, we laid a meandering path to create planting beds on the left and right. This style of paving is labour intensive, but it creates a stunning path way in an oriental garden setting. Close to the deck, so in full view of the house, we installed a traditional Japanese water basin arrangement that formed a short stream to an underground water reservoir. A Sumo san lantern was positioned on a flat top piece of rock.

On the right hand side we installed some large pieces of our blue grey granite and by contrast a perfectly formed silver grey granite sphere. Our client is a keen gardener, so she intends planting the remaining beds herself.

Client

Reigate, Private Garden

Project Date

November 2025

Category

Private Japanese Gardens

Crittall Windows: Silver End Memorial Gardens

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Preperation off-site: 3 weeks
Installation on site: 2 days

We were approached by the Silver End Parish Council to replace a historic Japanese Torii gate that had originally stood in the Silver End Memorial gardens in Witham, Essex.

Silver End is synonymous with the nearby CRITTALL Window factory and the gardens were for the benefit of the factory workers who lived in the Crittall village houses built around the park.

The only information that we had to work from were a couple of historic photos of the original Torii gate. This is a substantial structure and our design carefully replicated the hexagonal support posts and all the timber used was cut from green Oak, then sanded, primed, and finished in a ‘bottle’ green wood paint as specified by the Parish Council.

Due to the size and weight of the Torii gate we fabricated two steel sockets that were concreted into the ground to support the posts. These also reflected the material from which Crittall windows are made as a homage to the founder Francis Berrington Crittall and his family.

Client

Crittall Windows, Silver End

Project Date

October 2025

Category

Public Gardens

Japanese Garden, Sevenoaks

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Dimensions: 70m²
Build time: 4 weeks

Behind the garage, our clients had a strip of land running alongside the house leading to the back garden, in which they wanted to create a Japanese inspired garden. Our concept was to create a stroll garden using a meandering pathway.

From the main garden, steps lead you down into the Japanese garden and onto a floating path made from composite decking. To the right of the path is a raised planting bed that is retained by silver grey palisades. Within the bed are feature blue grey granite rockery stone, an informal stone seat and a selection of evergreen planting. These include ground cover Soleirolia soleirolii, Ophiopogon minor, Ophiopogon kokuryu and Pieris japonica. A Hydrangea switch Ophelia provides colour interest as it’s delicate flowers change through shades of white to pink from spring to autumn. Finally the bed is top dressed with 8-16mm Scottish cobbles.

To the left of the pathway the bed is set lower creating the floating path effect. Mirroring the other bed, it is top dressed with small Scottish cobbles. Yew evergreen domes are planted at the narrowest part of the bed, and it widens to incorporate a traditional water basin arrangement. A 60cm Tetsu bachi is fed by a horizontal bamboo spout which is positioned over a blue grey granite feature stone. Traditional kneeling stones are placed around the basin, with larger Scottish Cobbles surrounding the feature. Behind the bamboo spout are evergreen Nandina domestica and a tall red Japanese Acer. Further along the bed is a Nozuro-doro lantern made from natural pieces of blue grey granite rockery. We had initially created this nozuro-doro for the client’s relatives in 2003, which has now been relocated and gifted to our client. Along the back of this bed we created a Japanese fence with cedar shingle roof detailing, to provide an attractive backdrop to the garden. Part of this fencing juts out into the garden, providing a physical division between different elements in the garden. It features a large cut out window with Shoji lattice detailing, providing a small glimpse of the garden behind, creating interest, enticing you to continue your journey through the garden to discover more.

As you pass the wall panel the floating path ends and silver grey irregular stepping stones lead you through an area of silver grey 14mm zen gravel. Directly ahead is a small red weeping Japanese Acer, with the stepping stones leading to two blue grey granite steps up to a raised patio finished with composite decking. To the right of the pathway the raised bed continues and features a set of 3 Tenshi standing stones, with a Four-eye fence detail behind and evergreen Aucuba japonica planting.

The left hand side of the path features more feature blue grey granite stones, a tall red Japanese Acer, clump forming bamboo Fargesia and evergreen Euonymus Green spider. The garden finishes with a small patio of dark grey granite paving, ending at the back of the garage.

Client

Private Garden, Sevenoaks

Project Date

June 2025

Category

Private Japanese Gardens

Courtyard, Sevenoaks

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Dimensions: 25m²
Build time: 1 weeks

Steps lead up to the raised garden where irregular stepping stones are positioned in 6mm silver grey Zen gravel. A planting bed curves around the garden, edged with silver grey granite setts. The bed features two Tenshi standing stones rising from evergreen planting. A block of dwarf Rhododendron ‘Bloombux’ provide all year round interest and they produce delicate pink/white flowers for a few weeks in early summer. Behind the standing stones is a tall green leaf Japanese Maple and a blue grey granite feature rock. Planting includes Leptinella and a tall Pieris shrubs.

In the centre of the bed, at its narrowist point, ornamental grasses and ground cover planting are alongside blue grey granite feature rocks. In the corner a tall red Japanese Maple provides a pop of colour.

The bed curves towards the house where a short section of decorative Four-eye bamboo fence separates large Pieris and a traditional Japanese water basin arrangement. The water feature includes a 45cm Tetsu bachi (Kyoto range), a 50cm upright bamboo spout, ‘kneeling’ stones and Kuro black basalt cobbles. The arrangement is complimented by a 96cm Oribe lantern which has an LED light and decorative diffuser for low ambient lighting in the evening. Planting around the arrangement includes Pieris, Ferns, Leptinella and Liriope. The planting beds are top dressed in slate mulch.

Client

Private Garden, Kent

Project Date

August 2025

Category

Private Japanese Gardens

Stone Terrace, Godalming

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Dimensions: 34m²
Build time: 2 weeks

Within an L-shape bed the journey begins with a traditional Japanese water basin arrangement featuring a 60 cm Tetsu bachi, upright bamboo spout, and ‘kneeling’ stones. Behind it stands a short section of Four-eye bamboo fence and a pre-owned Kitesage granite lantern. Around the basin, evergreen planting softens the scene; groundcover Ophiopogon Kokuryu and Soleirolia soleirolii (‘Mind your own business’), Ferns, and Nandina domestica. Behind the lantern, the deciduous shrub Hydrangea Ophelia Switch produces delicate white blooms in spring, gradually changing colour to shades of pink as the season progresses.

From here, the slate mulch bed narrows making way for a ‘sea’ of silver-grey Zen gravel, edged in Corten steel. Three striking Tenshi standing stones rise from the raked gravel, their surroundings patterned with wave-like lines to evoke water meeting rock.

Curving behind the sea of gravel, a slate mulch bed incorporates blue-grey granite feature rocks and a continuation of evergreen planting. At its heart stand two focal specimens: a cloud-pruned tree and a tall red-leaf Japanese Acer.

The sea of gravel leads to a circular seating area paved in dark grey stone. Two silver-grey granite curved benches embrace a central fire bowl. Irregular stepping stones guide visitors to a secondary patio in the garden’s corner, made using composite decking, framed on two sides by panel walls with cedar-shingle roof detailing. A traditional Japanese gateway marks the formal entrance to this serene space.

Client

Stone Terrace, Godalming

Project Date

July 2025

Category

Private Japanese Gardens

Japanese border, Oxted

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Dimensions: 25m²
Build time: 1 weeks

The client had a long narrow planting bed running alongside the swimming pool surround and asked for our help to make the space Japanese in feel and more interesting. Closest to the house, the bed begins with a cloud-pruned tree set in a Corten steel planter. Beyond it, we installed a traditional Japanese water basin arrangement with a silver grey granite curved bench from which to view the basin. A tall Japanese Acer, a 60 cm Narabe Yukimi lantern, and a bamboo Four-eye fence panel work together to create a natural visual pause within the garden.

From here, the planting transitions into a cluster of Nandina domestica—evergreen shrubs that bear red berries in autumn. Next comes a carefully composed grouping of evergreen domes and silver-grey granite spheres, partially nestled into a bed of silver-grey Zen gravel. One sphere rests in a patch of slate mulch softened by Soleirolia soleirolii (commonly called ‘Mind-your-own-business’). Adding height and presence, three elegant Tenshi standing stones rise from the bed, the tallest reaching around 170 cm. Framing this arrangement, another red-leaf Japanese Maple offers a final flourish of colour and texture.

Client

Private garden, Oxted

Project Date

July 2025

Category

Private Japanese Gardens

Japanese Waiting Arbour, East Sussex

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Dimensions: 82 m²
Build time: 3 weeks

A meandering stepping stone path from the house splits in two directions. The stepping stones are set in 14mm silver-grey zen gravel. Following the path round to the left you are led towards Japanese waiting Arbour. This structure is one in our range of Japanese style buildings that we make in our workshops and then re-assemble on site. The frame is made from treated soft wood timber stained dark brown. The wall panels are set between timber posts, and finished in a textured sandstone masonry paint. Traditionally, one of the front corner posts is a natural tree trunk which adds character to the Arbour. Internally, there is an attractive bench cut from a stout ‘waney’ edge green Oak plank along the rear wall. The floor frame and flooring boards are made from pressure treated timber.

To the side, and viewed whilst sat in the waiting arbour is a 45cm Tetsu bachi water basin which is fed by an upright bamboo spout. Traditional ‘kneeling stones’ are positioned around the water feature arrangement, surrounded by mixed cobbles. Planting includes ground cover Pachysandra, a tall Nandina domesica and a Japanese Maple. Behind the arrangement is a short section of bamboo Four-eye fence. Beyond, within the gravel is positioned a tall Kasuga granite lantern with low Ophiopogon evergreen planting.

Turning right from the house on the stepping stone pathway leads towards a new garden gate. Either side of the path are planting beds top dressed with bark mulch. On the left are 3 Tenshi standing stones set in the Zen gravel with evergreen under planting and a Japanese Maple behind. Further along the path are feature blue grey granite rocks with Bloombux and Pittosporum planting. In the center is a tall Ilex crenata ‘cloud’ tree.

On the other side of the path are more blue grey granite feature rocks, a Japanese Maple and evergreen planting surrounding an existing tree.

Client

Private Garden, East Sussex

Project Date

March 2020

Category

Private Japanese Gardens

Japanese Stream, High Wycombe

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Dimensions: 65 m²
Build time: 6 weeks

Curved composite decking meets the garden and in front of the patio doors a ‘floating’ path leads towards the rear garden gate. The path is made up of dark grey granite with two flat silver-grey granite bridges to span the gravel. As it winds through the garden it varies in width to add interest.

The main focal point in the garden is a natural stream that starts in one corner of the garden. Low waterfalls cascade down through silver grey cobbles into a hidden water reservoir in the ground. Cobbles and silver-grey zen granite resemble overflowing water that forms a sea.

Within the sea are large blue-grey granite feature rocks, and a Misaki granite lantern placed on a flat rock. The sea flows beneath the pathway towards another feature rock and a large specimen cloud tree. Ripple-like patterns are raked into the gravel to portray water movements around the stones.

Behind the stream tall evergreen shrubs create a soft visual barrier between the stream and back wall. Being evergreen they will give all year round structure and interest to the garden. Another evergreen shrub, Nandina domestica was planted alongside the stream as well as evergreen sedum ground cover.

Two large Japanese Acers were planted in the lawn either side of the stream, which will have stunning foliage from spring to autumn.

Silver grey granite guide lights light the meandering path, with Bloombux planting near the base of one stone. Bloombux is an evergreen dwarf rhododendron that has been genetically modified to grow in most soil types. They can be clipped to maintain their shape and in June bear small delicate pink flowers, they are a great alternative to common box planting.

Closer to the house we created bonsai stands out of silver-grey granite for our client to display their bonsai collection.

Client

Private Garden, High Wycombe

Project Date

November, 2024

Category

Private Japanese Gardens

Drilled rock garden, Sunningdale

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Dimensions: 18 m²
Build time: 1 week

The client had a pre-existing bed that they wanted to remodel, keeping the mature specimen Japanese Acer and a water feature with two large drilled boulders.

We moved the water feature to a more central position and added two Tenshi standing stones to the left side. A ‘cloud’ of dwarf Rhododendrons ‘Bloombux’ were planted around the bases of the Tenshi stones. ‘Bloombux’ are evergreen and have been genetically modified so that they thrive in almost any soil type. In May and June they bear delicate pink/white flowers, which are really popular with bees and other wildlife. On the other side of the water feature we planted two Nandina domestica, again evergreen, they provide all year round interest and produce attractive red berries in Autumn.

Towards the back of the planting bed is an attractive Oribe lantern. Carved in Japan from sandstone, this lantern took a skilful artisan stone mason 3 weeks to achieve the highest detail. Around the lantern we planted evergreen Ferns and Leptinella squalida ‘Platts black’ which will provide low ground cover.

Behind the lantern is a decorative bamboo Four-eye fence, creating a visual barrier between the planting bed and the rest of the lawned garden. To finish the area is top dressed with small scottish cobbles.