Japanese gardens are tranquil places with a harmonious balance between the elements of stone, plants and water. They are landscapes produced in microcosm; the result of a process of reduction in the way in which texture of materials and the form of plants are used in garden making.

In Japanese gardens, the form of many plants is controlled by the gardener - they are clipped, shaped or trained to make shapes that work as part of the whole garden landscape, with the placement of elements such as rocks, gravel and water. You may want to develop the whole of your garden in Japanese influenced style, or just make a small section of it into a calm refuge.

Step One

Lay out and position your rocks by the following method:

• Make a scale drawing of your plot.
• Show lines of vision of the garden from your windows.
• Make a grid to break your Japanese garden into asymmetrical sections.
• The intersections of your gridlines in the middle of the space will indicate strong points; position your largest rock on one of these points.

Step 2

Keep costs down and make your work easier - decide to leave one section of the garden virtually empty in contrast to the other.

• Draw a line where your main, full section will be.
• Mark in where your main rock is to go, not centred either in the main section or the whole garden.
• Work out where other elements are to go on the ground.
• Use objects of the right size and shape to represent key elements.
• When you have arrived at an arrangement that is balanced both vertically and horizontally, mark your drawing.
• You are ready to translate ideas into real materials to suit the theme of your garden.
• Work out materials and plants you want to use.

Step 3

For your rock groupings, you should try to use uncut stones that show the effects of weathering. They can be smoothed by water or chiselled by winds. Rocks with growths of moss or rust are especially prized.

• Look at the angles of rocks and determine the face.
• If using more than one rock, their positions should relate to each other.
• When using more than two stones, it's customary to arrange them in odd-numbered groups of 3, 5 or 7.
• Strive for variety, and be happy with stone positions before you make the final installation - they are heavy and difficult to move afterwards.
• Remember that a good portion must be sunk into the ground for stability.
• Large rocks can also be placed along a bank or breaking the surface of a pool.

Step 4

The treatment of your garden's boundaries is important. Fences are used to prevent external elements from intruding and distracting. Make your own using bamboo in appropriate thickness, tied singly or in groups, horizontally and vertically. Use traditional garden twine or black thin cord. End and panel posts should be made from timber for strength - use pressure treated round timbers of approximately 7.5 cm diameter. You can also buy bamboo fence panels ready made. Reed panels may also be bought and are similar in texture to traditional Japanese brushwood fences.

Step 5

Patios are not found in Japanese gardens. Although this doesn't mean you can't have one, you should try to incorporate one in a style that invokes the Orient.

• Use grey slabs, either real stone or concrete, and use a good proportion of larger ones.
• Counter straight lines by using irregular stones as part of the pavement.
• Avoid four-point junctions between slabs and make joints wider than normal - at least 2.5 cm.

Step 6

Stepping stones are an important feature of Japanese gardens. Their use dates from the 16th century, to make the approaches to tea rooms practical and attractive. The arrangement of stones should be asymmetrical, and you should plan the route to show off fine views and plantings you have made in your garden.

• Use cut or uncut flat-topped stones - these can be almost completely buried.
• Decide on the speed of your stepping stone path - place stones closer together for a slower walk, further apart for a faster stroll.
• Arrange the stones on a trial and error basis, seeing what can be seen at various points, and make places to pause.
• Stepping stones can go through plants, gravel or water - make these easy to walk on and firmly anchored in concrete.

Step 7

Gravel is also important. In real Japanese gardens, gravel would be granite, the product of erosion found at the base of cliffs, with particles of around 2 mm in size. Zen masters originally developed gravel gardening into an art based on philosophical themes. Today, it usually represents water, with ripple and wave patterns raked into it heighten the effect.

Try to make gravel areas or gardens in places where they will not be disturbed; it's a surface to be viewed rather than used. Give it an edge to make maintenance easier.

Step 8

Pools, streams, waterfalls and bridges can all be found in Japanese gardens, and so you should try to use them if they fit in with your planned landscape. Bridges can be put across water - simple zigzag planks work well and are easy to make yourself. Other water features include:

• Tsukubai - stone water basin, used for purification before the ritual tea ceremony. Use it on its own or set it amongst other rocks on the edge or in the centre of a 'sea' of gravel.
• Shishi odoshi - deer scarer, originally designed to scare off deer and other animals. Water is fed through a thin bamboo pipe, which pours into an angled thick bamboo length set below it, on a wooden pivot. Water collects in the filled end of the thicker bamboo pipe and its weight forces the front down, making the liquid run out. The back end is now heavier than the front, so the pipe pivots back and hits the rock beneath it making a clacking sound. You can use this type of feature on the edge of a pond, or raised up at the top of a slope to form the source of a stream or waterfall. You can buy these ready made, or devise your own to fit exactly into your scheme.

Step 9

Ornamental features to be used sparingly include:

• Towers - stone or ceramic can be placed near bridges, ponds and streams;
• Signposts with Japanese characters - stone or ceramic . Place on the edge of paths, at turns and forks;
• Buddhas - stone or ceramic . Place inconspicuously, without highlighting. Keep size to a height of 40 - 50 cm maximum.