This plan shows one of our company projects where we designed and constructed a Japanese courtyard garden in a home that had an existing interior garden. The design of the home was inspired by sukiya style architecture, which beautifully complimented our Japanese garden project. One challenge of this project was that it was in a […]

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If you have the desire to incorporate the architecture on your site into your garden, or if you simply have a wish to add an air of grace to structures in your garden, you will probably find this technique to be of help. The effect developed as long piers built for fishing and relaxing and […]

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What’s not to love about spring? Especially in Minnesota, it is the dearest among all the seasons. In spring season, while plants and flowers start showing their new green growth, the early border of your garden usually consists of colorful bulbs and few early blooming perennials. Spring perennials are a welcome sight after a long […]

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The use of stones and rocks in Japanese gardens or Zen gardens is an essential element in their design and success; in fact they are the backbone of most Japanese gardens. Quality stonework is essential and achieved through an understanding of how to aesthetically set stones. One by one they are set where the end […]

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A nobedan walk is a type of pathway, or stone walk, found in Japanese gardens. These pathways utilize unique stone pavement layout and design principles. Nobedan are often found in tea and entry gardens. It is an art of arranging various sized stones in a design that is artistic and functional. They help to create […]

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Although we do not have bamboo planting options for our projects here inMinnesotawe can use bamboo poles for a variety of projects.  We have used bamboo poles for water features, screens, fences, gates, handrails, ceiling treatments, trellis structures and pathway borders.  Bamboo can compliment everything in our western landscapes from a deck to a pond. […]

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Bonsai is greatly regarded as an icon of Japanese art and culture. “Bonsai” is a Japanese pronunciation of the earlier Chinese term penzai. Here the “bon” is a tray-like pot typically used in bonsai culture and “sai” means a planting or plantings). The word bonsai is often used in English as an umbrella term for […]

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If you are planning for a healthy and thriving garden then you must aim towards growing perennials in your garden. They are used extensively in most gardens and man made landscapes. From beautiful peonies found in gardens of manicured yards to beautiful bearded Iris that show off their blooms in the spring, to the lush […]

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Grasses have a found their place in our gardens and yards. Their grace and beauty provides an aesthetic appeal throughout the summer, fall and winter. These easy to grow low maintenance plants produce pretty rustling sounds and provide graceful textures. Technically any grass that is not grown as turf is considered an ornamental grass. Although, […]

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Shishi Odishi have become a popular artifact in western Japanese gardens. If you are interested in having one in your garden you should choose it for its aesthetic and sound. Keep in mind that this feature alone will not make your garden more Japanese. Shishi Odishi is an additional garden fountain which is very popular […]

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