IF YOU want a beautiful garden with all year round appeal, why not try creating your own Japanese garden?

Japanese gardens are a beautiful contemporary alternative to your traditional flowering shrubs.

By combining the simplicity of design with well maintained Japanese features, such a garden creates a relaxed atmosphere.

Japanese garden expert Peter Chan runs Herons Japanese Gardens has been creating Japanese gardens for many years.

Mr Chan and his wife Dawn began collecting miniature trees in 1986 and have since turned the site into a fully landscaped haven for bonsai fans.

The self taught gardener won the first ever RHS Gold Medal for a bonsai garden in 1982, the first time he exhibited his intricate work.

The author of eight books said: “Japanese gardens have always been admired for their timeless beauty.

“The Japanese garden attempts to reproduce natural scenic beauty in a very intense way.

“The very essence of nature’s landscape is condensed and recreated in a subtle, elegant manner, often in a limited space.

“The defining characteristics of a Japanese garden are its simplicity and naturalness.” Japanese gardens are often thought of as being works of art and one of the appeals is that size is irrelevant to the striking impact it creates.

By placing larger trees, shrubs or objects in the foreground, and smaller objects in the background; or by using more commanding textures and colours in the foreground you can create a greater sense of size.

Mr Chan explained that a big element of creating your own Japanese garden is in the design.

“The first step is to get some good Japanese garden books for design ideas,” he said.

“I have written a book on the subject myself called ‘Creating a Japanese Garden.’”

The next step is to incorporate typical Japanese elements to the garden such as Japanese maple, pine and yew trees, rocks like glacial boulders, as well as quartz or crushed gravel and lanterns.

Japanese gardens are best looked at from a vantage point and it is best viewed from places such as kitchen or dining room window or deck.

This style of garden also aims to create intrigue and surprise to the viewer by using elements such as a small cut-out in a fence allowing a glimpse of the garden; or a winding path that disappears from view, to call you further into the garden.

The Japanese garden uses the concept of “borrowed scenery” which connects your small garden space to the larger landscape picture and gives it continuity.

Natural and rustic-looking materials are also preferred in order to create a natural and weathered looking garden such as a rock path or a bamboo fence tied together with black jute.

Water is also a desirable feature and a water source such as a spring, a stream or a waterfall will provide sound and create a striking effect.

Coleg Gwent Horticulture lecturer Ceri Goring at the college’s Usk Campus said: “If you are lucky enough to have a cherry tree or a Japanese maple in your garden why not enhance your enjoyment further by adding a touch of the Orient.

“Bear in mind that a Japanese style garden should be a haven of serenity and relaxation so don’t clutter it up with too many Japanese style artefacts.”

The lecturer suggested using a large pot with some shiny, yellow stemmed bamboos, such as Phyllostachys aureocaulis, which would provide movement and sound from the rustling of the leaves, which is very important for this style of garden.

“Don’t forget less is more and it’s preferable to instal quality items and have well looked after plants, rather than an alarming mishmash of Japanese features,” she said.

For more information visit heronsjapanesegardens.co.uk