Japanese Garden Plants

Crape Myrtles - Crape myrtles, both dwarf forms and trees are right at home in a Japanese garden. We especially like 'Acoma' because it's a semi-dwarf with a beautiful weeping habit and excellent burgundy fall foliage color. Natchez is another beautiful favorite and can be used to provide some shade in the garden as it grows to over 20' in height, has a weeping canopy and georgeous cinnamon-brown exfoliating bark. Check out Pokomoke or Chickasaw as well. Both of these varieties are true dwarf shrubs with very interesting habits and texture. Crape Myrtle Listing.

Flowering Trees - Plant a flowering tree or fruit tree in the garden if space allows. Dogwoods, redbuds and flowering cherry are favorites. Only plant a Dogwood if there is ample shade in the afternoon. Dogwoods do not tolerate all day sun well. A Sourwood or Bald Cypress, both natives would be excellent choices as well. If your space is small and you have some shade consider a native azalea or tree-formed holly such as 'Dwarf Burfordi'. Tea Olive would be another great selection for a small tree, not to mention its fragrant flowers.

Shrubs - There are so many choices of shrubs. Junipers, both small and large growing ones, and flowering shrubs such as quince (photo left) always fit in well, as do many of the drought tolerant shrubs such as barberries and spirea. Try to pick dwarf varieties. Encore Azaleas® are a good selection so long as there is some afternoon shade.

Groundcovers - The floor of your Japanese garden should be covered with either stone or groundcovers. Perhaps our favorite groundcover to use in the Japanese garden is Blue Star Creeper (photo left). This groundcover is covered with pretty little blue star flowers in spring and will bloom all the way to frost. It will form a tight matt all over the garden even growing between stepping stones. Blue Rug juniper is nice too if there is plenty of sun. If there is plenty of shade Vinca Minor or Dwarf Mondo grass are other great selections.

Perennials & Vines - There are a multitude of perennials that might work well in your Japanese garden. Among our favorites would be Iris, daylilies, sedums, herbs, clematis and other vines, and most all of the moisture-loving and drought tolerant perennials.

Ornamental Grasses - Grasses offer a vertical accent and unique textures to the garden. Zebra Grass and Horsetail grass would be two of our favorite selections.