Asian Garden Ideas

Water

• Asian gardens often feature running water, and many ways exist to incorporate water into your garden. For example, you may choose to install a koi pond, a restful and relaxing feature, or you might choose to add a brook or a waterfall, which introduces the water's motion to your garden's rhythm. Look for natural shapes that blend well with the rest of your garden.

Covered Seating Areas

• Dot your garden with small gazebos made from natural wood. Chinese gardens are meant to be enjoyed in all weather, and small sheltered seating areas are ideal for this purpose. Place gazebos in a location that allows for a spectacular view of the rest of the garden, and install a stone path between the house and the gazebo. Placing a few benches throughout the garden adds a welcoming contemplative feel to the space.

Stones

• Even if you are not interested in installing a karesansui, also called a Zen rock garden, consider placing stones in the garden. A few individual stones offer visual variety in the intense greenery of a garden, and a taller pile of stone calls to mind Rocky Mountain ridges. Use the stones to bring the rest of the garden into sharp focus. Vary the texture of the garden by using both sharp stones and smooth, round stones.

Paths

• Asian gardens are meant to be wandered in and enjoyed, and creating paths through the foliage is one way to direct the eye as well as the feet. Install a gravel path using a gravel color that complements the colors of a garden, or install large flagstones at intervals that give the path a dotted appearance. The paths should be comfortable to walk on, adding to the sensual experience of the Asian-inspired garden.

Greenery

• When choosing plants reminiscent of an Asian garden, consider bamboo, either wild in the yard or contained in pots, which offers a neutral green background for showier blooms. Cherry trees and Japanese maples on the other hand, offer a splash of color. Lilies, peonies and hostas all add an Asian touch to a garden and are especially lovely when paired with bamboo plants or a bamboo fence.