| We just moved to the sunset area of San Francisco, 12 blocks from the beach. We would like to build a Japanese garden. Our space is 30'X40'. The summer weather is always foggy. |
| There are many, many plants you can grow in your gardening zone. Here are just a few to consider using when creating your Japanese garden: Japanese Black Pine (Pinus thunbergiana) Fast growing to 100 feet in the Northwest but slow growing to 20 feet in Southern California. It grows with spreading branches to form a broad conical tree that spreads with age. Its stiff, bright green needles are in sets of two and are 3 to 4.5 inches long. It is a hardy tree that is grown widely throughout the Western United States. The tree responds well to pruning. Black Bamboo (Bambusa phyllostachys var. nigra) A running bamboo with stocks from pure black to olive-dotted black. It can grow to 15 feet if not controlled. The stock is 1.5 inches thick. Japanese Maple (Acer japonicum) Deciduous, dainty, picturesque shrub-tree is native to Japan and grows to 20-30 feet. It has nearly round 2-5 inch leaves with 7-11 lobes. It is slow growing especially in southern climates. Variegated Mock Orange (Pittosporum tobira var. variegata) Valued for their foliage and form, the pittosporum makes dependable shrubs that can be a garden's all year backbone. Grows to five feet and is as wide. Foliage is gray-green, edged white. For springtime color, plant Azaleas (Azalea indica). Other plants to consider including in your garden: Cinnamomum camphora Camphor Tree Ginkgo biloba Maidenhair Tree Gleditsia triacanthos 'Golden' Honey Locust Grevillea robusta Silk Oak Lagerstroemia ind. 'Catawba' Indian Tribe Crape Myrtle Lagerstroemia ind. 'Pepperment Lace' Crape Myrtle Lagerstroemia ind. Potomac Crape Myrtle Magnolia grandiflora Southern Magnolia Magnolia soulangiana Saucer Magnolia Olea europaea Olive Pinus canariensis Canary Island Pine Pinus thunbergiana Japanese Black Pine Pittosporum undulatum Victorian Box Podocarpus gracilior Fern Pine Podocarpus macrophyllus Yew Pine Prunus avium '3 in 1' Cherry Prunus avium 'Stella' Cherry Prunus cer. 'Atropurpurea' Purple-leaf Plum Pyrus calleryana 'Bradford' Bradford Callery Pear Pyrus kawakamii Evergreen Pear Salix matsudana 'Umbraculifera' Globe Willow Salix matsudana tortuosa Corkscrew Willow Tabebuia chrysotricha Golden Trumpet Tree Tipuana tipu Tipu Tree Acacia redolens Spreading Acacia Azalea 'Sherwood Red' Azalea Buxus japonica Japanese Boxwood Camellia japonica Japanese Camellia Camellia sasanqua 'Kanjiro' Camellia Cotoneaster congesta 'Likiang' Cotoneaster Gardenia jas. 'August Beauty' Gardenia Gardenia thunbergia Starry Gardenia Juniperus 'Bonsai' Juniperus chi. 'Procumbens Nana' Compact Japanese Garden J Juniperus chi. 'Procumbens' Japanese Garden Juniper Juniperus chi. 'Prostrata' Prostrate Chinese Juniper Juniperus conferta 'Shore' Shore Juniper Juniperus sabina 'Tamariscifolia' Tam Juniper Magnolia 'Sayonara' Saucer Magnolia Osmanthus fragrans Sweet Olive, Tea Olive Pittosporum tobira Japanese Pittosporum Pittosporum tobira 'Variegata' Japanese Variegated Pitto Podocarpus macrophyllus 'Maki' Shrubby Yew Podocarpus macrophyllus 'Select SpreProstrate Yew Pine Punica granatum Pomegranate Punica granatum 'Nana' Dwarf Pomegranate Rhaphiolepis indica Indian Hawthorn Rhododendron var. Rhododendrons Tabebuia ipe Trumpet Tree Viburnum japonicum Japanese Viburnum Xylosma congestum Shiny Xylosma Lonicera japonica 'Halliana' Halls Japanese Honeysuckl Trachelospermum jasminoides Star Jasmine Wisteria sinensis 'Double Purple' Chinese Wisteria Hemerocallis 'Anzac' Day Lily Iris ensata 'Ivory' Japanese Iris Liriope muscari Lily Turfs Platycodon grandiflorus Balloon Flower Vinca minor Periwinkle Bambusa mul 'Golden Goddess' Golden Goddess Bamboo Bambusa oldhamii Oldham Bamboo Bambusa pleioblastus pygmaeus Dwarf Bamboo Nandina domestica 'Nana compacta' Dwarf Heavenly Bamboo Phyllostachys aureum Golden Bamboo Phyllostachys nigra Black Stemmed Bamboo Microlepia strigosa Asian Fern Pteris cretica Brake Fern Acorus calamus 'Variegatus' Variegated Sweet Flag Acorus gramineus 'Variegatus' Sweet Flag Equisetum hyemale Horsetail Reed Grass Imperata cylindrica 'Rubra' Japanese Blood Grass Ophiopogon japonicus Mondo Grass Ophiopogon japonicus 'Nana' Dwarf Mondo Grass Pennisetum setaceum Fountain Grass Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum' Red Fountain Grass Cycas circinalis Queen Sago Cycas revoluta Sago Palm |
