Portfolios Archive - Page 2 of 6 - The Japanese Garden Centre

Stroll Garden, Sevenoaks

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Dimensions: 1,100 m²
Build time: 20 weeks

The client applied for permission to demolished their existing house and commissioned their Architect to design a stunning contemporary home. We were asked to design the gardens around the house including the paved patio and inter-linking composite decking pathways.

The site is on a severe slope and so we designed a retaining boundary wall that allowed us to almost level the garden with soil.

The garden wraps around the house, offering several viewpoints. To ensure it worked from multiple angles, we had to be creative in our design. The path through the garden is divided into sections of dark grey granite paving and terra-cotta colour composite decking to closely match the house cladding.

At the front of the house, on either side of the meandering path, are planting beds topped with fine Scottish cobbles. These beds feature groupings of our blue-grey granite rocks, accompanied by a variety of plants, including evergreen ground cover, shrubs, and Japanese Maples in raised Corten steel planters. Granite guide lights along the path provide low ambient lighting.

As the path curves around to the side of the house, the planting bed widens to include low-level plants such as Ophiopogon, and shrubs like ‘Bloombux’ rhododendrons, Pieris, and Nandina domestica. Tall bamboos and Japanese Maples stand out against the retaining wall behind them. This section concludes with a 60 cm diameter Kodai Maru Yukimi lantern and a traditional Japanese water basin arrangement.

A curved patio of dark grey paving forms a seating area close to the outdoor fire place. This patio features a small Zen garden with blue-grey granite in silver-grey Zen gravel. The lawn includes additional blue-grey granite feature rocks and a large red Japanese Maple. A large stream begins in one corner of the garden, ‘overflowing’ into a ‘sea’ of silver grey Zen gravel. Set in this sea a Misaki lantern is positioned on a flat topped rock. A large specimen Carsten’s Wintergold ‘cloud’ tree, dwarf purple Rhododendrons, and pink Azaleas are planted on the land around the ‘sea’ of water.

The path continues to the other side of the house, where tiered planting beds emerge. These beds are formed and retained using our silver-grey Palisades and rendered walls, matching the rest of the garden. Natural rock steps lead down to a lower level, which is relatively open, featuring a few mature trees and granite feature rocks.

Client

Private Garden, Sevenoaks

Project Date

June, 2024

Category

Private Japanese Gardens

Indoor Garden, RAI Restaurant London

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Dimensions: 15m²
Build time: 1 week

We completed two indoor gardens in RAI, a Japanese restaurant just off Tottenham Court Road in London. In an intimate setting, the owners wanted guests to be immersed in nature during their meal.

The first garden features a 40cm Sumo san lantern with bespoke light diffusers and tall Tenshi standing stones set against the black Oak wall panels. In front of the window, we installed a traditional Japanese water basin arrangement with an elegant Oribe lantern.

On the other side of the entrance, the second garden featured 5 blue-grey granite standing stones with underplanting. A flat top rock features a unique lantern that we made up using natural flat top pieces of rock and a bespoke light box. The concept is ‘Islands in a sea of gravel’ with preserved moss creating the landmass. The gardens were top dressed with our 6mm silver-grey Zen gravel and Kuro basalt cobbles.

The restaurant has two planters outside where we created a contemporary standing stone feature using square Palisades. Either side we planted a combination of bamboo and Pieris. The planters were dressed with 14mm silver-grey Zen gravel.

All indoor artificial plants were supplied by Interior Landscaping products.

www.rairestaurant.com/

Client

RAI Restaurant, London

Project Date

January, 2024

Category

Corporate Japanese Gardens & Garden Shows

Japanese Borders, Chiswick

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Dimensions: 35 m²
Build time: 4 weeks

This garden already had some raised planters constructed from timber sleepers that had only recently been installed, so our design worked around these to create a Japanese garden. On the right hand side we clad the existing wall in a durable sheet material with a narrow cedar shingle roof section to form an attractive backdrop for the evergreen planting and the red leaf Acer’s.

A curved bed set into the lawn was edged using jumbo Caledonian cobbles in which we featured a 120 cm Pergoda style granite lantern and a Kiku bachi water feature. This attractive water basin is the shape of the Chrysanthemum flower and fed with water from a 50 cm upright bamboo spout. A set of traditional ‘kneeling’ stones complete this arrangement. We used a selection of evergreen shrubs in the planting beds. The space along the rear boundary fence was very narrow but there was room for a pair of Tenshi standing stones with evergreen planting to help soften the hard landscaping.

The formal, raised sleeper beds and in-built bench was more of a challenge to design but a successful result was achieved by planting a block of Euonymus Green spider, some clump forming Fargesia bamboo’s, a cluster of Liriope, and a Tenka Chaya lantern on a mosaic of blue grey granite rocks with a single fern.

Client

Private Garden, Chiswick

Category

Private Japanese Gardens

Tea House Garden, London

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Dimensions: 20m²
Build time: 4 weeks

This project involved designing and constructing a fully insulated Japanese tea house with a sloping roof due to the proximity of the boundary fence. The client was keen to incorporate a Japanese garden within the footprint of the building and we designed the structure to create a small space between the walls and entrance deck. The garden featured an Oribe lantern and a Pittosporum. A circular Shoji window and sliding aluminium doors form the front facade. Top hung windows on two elevations ensure good ventilation. The interior was clad in natural veneer timber sheet material, with bamboo flooring, infra-red heating and a Shoji style ceiling light. The exterior softwood timber received the Japanese Sugi-ban treatment that involves ‘charring’ the timber to increase its durability.

In another area of the garden, we installed a circular water feature and curved granite bench in a bed of silver-grey zen gravel.

Client

Private garden, London

Project Date

May, 2022

Category

Private Japanese Gardens

Japanese Garden, Oxted

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Dimensions: 429m²
Build time: 6 weeks

A meandering pathway takes you on a journey through a tiered garden. As you enter the first level of the garden to the right of the path are 3 vertical Palisades with evergreen underplanting in a bed of 6mm silver grey Zen gravel. Ahead is a Shallow water basin arrangement and 60cm Kodai Maru Yukimi snow lantern. Kuro basalt cobbles surround the base of the water basin, with ‘kneeling’ stones and evergreen planting beside. The rest of the bed consists of 6mm silver-grey Zen gravel, feature rocks, bamboo Four-eye fencing and ground cover planting. A stepping stone pathway through the gravel leads to a beige granite curved bench. In an existing trough planter, we installed a tall drilled rock with water bubbling from the top.

Stepping down to the next tier we designed and constructed a Japanese summer house with a Shoji door and Shoji window for added interest. The summer house overlooks an area of grass with a Kasuga lantern and panoramic views.

Carrying on along the path down to the next tier, the path leads around a ‘Fishermans net’ with silver-grey granite Palisades, Zen gravel and a variety of evergreen planting such as Pieris, Bloombux rhododendron and Nandina domestica. Further down the path is a large format Palisade monolith arrangement and evergreen planting.

Client

Private Garden, Oxted

Project Date

August, 22

Category

Private Japanese Gardens

Stroll Garden, Cambridge

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Dimensions: 80m²
Build time: 6 weeks

The inspiration for this garden was an Island wrapping around sea. 6mm silver grey zen gravel depicts the sea, with a large feature rock in the center with raked gravel that represents ripples in the water. The Island is edged with granite setts and planted with a variety of deciduous and evergreen planting. Nearest the house and in the central viewpoint from the kitchen and patio doors is a traditional water feature. A 60cm shallow bachi is fed by a horizontal bamboo spout, with kneeling stones and mixed cobbles. Beside the water feature is a 60cm Narabe Yukimi granite lantern. Behind the water feature is a four-eye bamboo fence with a variety of evergreen plants to create all year-round interest.

Towards the end of the garden we created a stepping stone pathway through an area previously planted with silver birch. On the other side of the island are blue-grey granite feature rocks with dwarf rhododendron Bloombux around a dark grey stone patio.

Client

Private Garden, Cambridge

Project Date

June'23

Category

Private Japanese Gardens

Internal Courtyard Gardens

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Dimensions: 8m²
Build time: 2 weeks

Our client had recently extended their house and it now includes two courtyards open to the elements but fully contained within the property. Impressive full-length windows allow for natural light and dramatic views of the internal gardens from several angles within the living space.

Courtyard one was designed to represent the external facade of a Japanese residence with a Shoji door and window looking out from the ‘house’ into the courtyard garden. We created a small timber deck made from traditional Shou Sugi Ban ‘charred’ wood. The narrow roof section was finished using rustic cedar shakes. Three self-watering planters containing a green-leaf Japanese Acer, an evergreen Pittosporum Tom thumb and Bloombux rhododendron are positioned next to a bespoke black granite water feature. Silver-grey Zen gravel finishes off the garden.

Courtyard two ties in visually with the first courtyard by featuring a narrow ‘wall panel’ with a circular Shoji window under cedar shakes. A Tenshi stone grouping, evergreen planting and a specimen Ilex Crenata ‘cloud’ tree completes this very small garden. The floor is covered with silver-grey Zen gravel and low-spreading ground cover plants.

Client

Private Garden, London

Project Date

March,22

Category

Private Japanese Gardens

Japanese Garden, Bath

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Dimensions: 42m²
Build time: 5 weeks

To access the garden from the house are three natural stepping stones that dissect a raised bed and lead to a pathway through 6mm silver-grey zen gravel. A tall Japanese Acer is positioned in the corner with low evergreen plants such as Ophiopogon nigrescens and dwarf rhododendron Bloombux. The raised bed is edged with silver-grey palisades. On the otherside, a water basin arrangement is positioned in front of the Oriel window. A long horizontal bamboo spout feeds a contemporary basin with water cascading down a short stream. Next to the water feature is a red weeping Japanese Acer, bench seating within the border and another Japanese Acer of a green variety. The green acer is part of a third raised bed which includes a 3 Tenshi standing stone feature with dwarf Rhododendron Bloombux underplanting.

To the right of the pathway is a raised bed with a Carstens Wintergold specimen cloud tree and 60cm Kodai Maru Yukimi granite lantern. All the raised beds are top-dressed with Scottish cobbles.

Along the rear boundary are bespoke wooden fences with Shou Sugi Ban finish. In the center is a pergola, also finished with Shou Sugi Ban and dark grey granite paving. On either side of the pergola are corten planters with tall bamboo.

Client

Private garden, Bath

Project Date

March 2023

Category

Private Japanese Gardens

Courtyard Garden, Saffron Walden

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Dimensions: 45m²
Build time: 2 weeks

We created a dark grey granite floating path above the main planting beds. The paving was cut in situ to create a curving path through the garden. As the courtyard is between two walls of the house, this presented the opportunity to create a tranquil garden that has several viewpoints.

In the corner of the courtyard is a stepping stone pathway leading to a seating area consisting of two silver grey curved granite benches. A water feature with traditional kneeling stones and Scottish cobbles is positioned nearby so the tranquil sound of running water can be heard while sitting in the garden. A shallow corten steel bowl was powder coated dark grey to provide a modern twist on a Japanese water basin arrangement. Feeding the water feature is a horizontal bamboo spout. The back of the horizontal spout is hidden within evergreen planting. Alongside the water feature is low ground cover planting consisting of ophiopogon nigrescens, ophiopogon minor and mind your own business*. There is also an ilex crenata cloud tree.

Directly in front is a 90cm Kodai Maru Yukimi granite lantern with an electric light which creates low ambient lighting in the evening. Near the lantern is evergreen planting of Pittosporum and ferns. Opposite this bed is a Tenshi standing stone arrangement of 3 rocks which are underplanted with Bloombux Rhododendron. Behind the standing stones are Nandina domestica planted in a dark grey planter and a tall green leaf Japanese Acer.

The planting beds were top dressed in 6mm silver grey zen gravel.

*This project was completed in April 2021. We visited the garden again in August 2022 and some pictures shown here show the spread of low ground cover plants since planting.

Client

Private garden, Saffron Walden

Project Date

April 2021

Category

Private Japanese Gardens

Japanese Garden, Tunbridge Wells

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Dimensions: 90m²
Build time: 2 weeks

To the front of the house we created small planting beds to frame the front of the house and break up the view of hard paving. Blue grey granite feature rocks in a bed of Scottish cobbles with evergreen planting consisting of pieris japonica, bloombux rhododendrons and a low spreading cotoneaster, amongst other plants.

The near garden we laid mostly to lawn. Curved beds frame the garden which are retained with granite palisade edging and granite setts as the height of the bed reduces. The beds are filled with blue grey granite rockery stone, evergreen low spreading planting and evergreen shrubs. Red and green leaf Acers provide height and a colour contrast to the fence behind. A 150cm Kasuga granite lantern sits proudly in a corner of the bed which is top dressed with Scottish cobbles.

Near the house is a 90cm shallow basin with a horizontal bamboo spout. The basin is a corten steel bowl which has been powder coated for a modern twist for a Japanese water basin arrangement. This water feature can be seen from within the house and creates a quiet, tranquil sound heard when sat on the patio. The water feature is surrounded by 6mm silver grey zen gravel. The rear of the spout is partially hidden by low evergreen planting. On the other side of the patio is a small silver grey zen gravel bed with a 3 stone Tenshi standing stone grouping which is underplanted with evergreen shrubs.