With our busy, always-on digital lives, it's no surprise that Japanese garden design feels more relevant than ever. A key theme at Chelsea Flower Show 2026, Japanese-inspired planting and landscaping appeared in four of the nine large show gardens, highlighting the style's enduring appeal.
Here, we explore the principles behind this timeless look and reveal how to recreate its calming, nature-led feel in even the smallest garden.
1. Create a peaceful focal point
The Tokonoma Garden – Sanumaya no Nawa, designed by Kazuyuki Ishihara and Paul Noritaka Tange, took inspiration from the traditional Japanese tokonoma: a raised alcove in the home used for meals, conversation and quiet reflection, often framing a carefully considered garden view. Drawing on Ishihara’s childhood memories, the space celebrated harmony, connection and calm.
Key garden elements:
Moss, stone, gravel, water features, maples, irises, ferns and soft tonal greens.
Ideas to use in your own garden:
- Choose fewer plants but choose well. A restrained palette can feel more calming and timeless than dense planting.
- Use natural materials such as stone and raked gravel for a simple, authentic feel.
- Add understated, water-wise features such as a rain chain or small water bowl.
2. Leave space for the garden to breathe
Inspired by the Japanese concept of yohaku no bi – the beauty of empty space – The Asthma & Lung UK Breathing Space Garden, designed by Angus Thompson, was created for people living with lung conditions. Calm and quietly powerful, it celebrated simplicity, stillness and the importance of giving both the garden and its visitors room to breathe, creating a peaceful place to pause, sit quietly and catch your breath.
Key garden elements:
Water, uncluttered planting and carefully placed seating areas. Plants such as Carex ‘Kyoto’, Hydrangea aspera and Pilea matsudae ‘Taiwan Silver’ create layers of soft texture, while two sculptural Scots pines – often linked in Japanese garden design with cleansing and longevity – provide structure and calm. A gentle palette of greens and whites is lifted with subtle touches of pink, purple and orange.
Ideas to use in your own garden:
- Focus on space as much as planting – leave room between plants so each one can shine.
- Keep the palette simple and calming, with small seating areas or focal points to create moments to pause.
- Layer different shades of green and add a few soft accent colours for warmth and interest.
- Introduce water or natural materials to bring gentle movement and a sense of calm.
3. Celebrate the beauty of imperfection
The Children's Society Garden, designed by Patrick Clarke Landscapes, drew on the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi, which finds beauty in imperfection, impermanence and authenticity. Through natural materials, layered planting and thoughtful design, the garden encouraged visitors to embrace life's flaws rather than strive for perfection. As Clarissa Freeman, project manager for the design team, explains: 'The garden aims to show there is more beauty in human beings because of our imperfections. They make us more characterful, more colourful and something to embrace rather than pushing against.'
Key garden elements:
Acer campestre (field acer) which, as Clarissa points out, are not perfect: ‘They have fun twists in them, which we’ve not tried to hide but intentionally celebrated,’ and reclaimed materials that highlight the beauty of repurposing overlooked items. ‘The paving was created from concrete slabs sourced via Facebook Marketplace, then cut and polished to reveal the aggregate within,’ says Clarissa. ‘Something that might have been thrown away has been transformed into something beautiful. It reflects the wabi-sabi idea that you don’t always need to start from scratch.’
Ideas to use in your own garden:
- Don’t be too quick to throw things away. Before replacing materials in your garden, think about how they could be reused in a new way.
- Rework leftover materials from, say, an interior refurb project to create something lovely for your garden.
- Choose quirky, characterful plants to give your space personality and charm.
- Embrace imperfections – they’re often what make a garden feel truly special.
4. Embrace repair and renewal
The Tate Britain Garden, designed by Tom Stuart-Smith, took inspiration from East Asian woodland planting and kintsugi – the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold. Rather than disguising cracks and imperfections, the garden celebrated repair, renewal and the beauty of what has been broken and restored. Due to open at London’s Tate Britain next year, it was designed to bring a sense of tranquillity and nature into a busy city setting.
Key garden elements:
Resilient, drought-tolerant planting such as Cycas revoluta (Japanese sago palm), Farfugium japonicum (leopard plant) and Feijoa sellowiana (pineapple guava), all chosen to support biodiversity. A gentle water rill adds movement and calm, while reclaimed York stone, crushed aggregate and repurposed construction materials have been reworked into new paving and seating.
Ideas to use in your own garden:
- Repair and reuse damaged items rather than throwing them away.
- Turn overlooked items – a neglected stone urn or trough, for example, into planters or garden features.
- Use a boulder or sculptural rock to add a simple artistic focal point, even in a small space.
Follow House Beautiful on Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest
The Garden Edit
Folding Bistro Set, 3 Pieces
