Varieties with multi-branched trunks have a sculptural quality and become a natural focal point in the garden. For more ideas, see Japanese Maples: A Field Guide to Planting, Care & Design.

Objects are preserved in their natural state, and much of Japanese garden design revolves around this world view, also known as Wabi-sabi. "Instead of replicating, we prefer to borrow principles and ...

For much more on this topic, see Marc Peter Keane’s “Japanese Garden Design”. For an American woman’s personal account of working in Japan’s male-dominated gardening culture (though that ...

Adel Kanaan says he's been building his Japanese garden bit by bit over the last 28 years at his Southport home.