Jennifer Aniston's garden takes inspiration from Japanese design

When it comes to creating a calming outdoor space and escaping the hustle and bustle of modern life, the plants you choose to grow are key, but with so many choices online and at nurseries, it can be hard to know what to plant. One way to do this is to take inspiration from Japanese gardens. While there are several different types of Japanese garden ideas, including dry gardens with raked gravel and tea gardens with tea houses, stepping stones and water features, what unites them is an atmosphere of tranquility and a celebration of nature.

Actress Jennifer Aniston’s garden, designed by Marcello Villano, is a pristine, serene and perfectly balanced Japanese garden.

Compared to Western gardens, the colour palette is restrained, with an emphasis on foliage rather than flowers, celebrating green in all its shades. Trees and shrubs are used more than herbaceous perennials. Plants such as ornamental cherry trees, acers and rhododendrons are all classic Japanese plants, adding height, structure and seasonal interest with colourful foliage or flowers. These plants all have cultivars that don’t get too tall, meaning you can still achieve the look even if you have a small space.

In this space, Aniston introduces water, an essential element in a Japanese garden. Adding a water feature or pool is a wonderful garden decoration idea that brings an extra dimension to the front or backyard, providing a focal point and imparting a sense of peace and tranquility.

The vegetation that surrounds it is essential to the overall effect of the water itself. Think of the weeping willows that lean toward the glass surface, or the color of the maple (Acer palmatum) that reflects its fire-like golden and orange leaves on a pond or basin.

Color is another important element to consider in a Japanese garden. Use a variety of shades of green and brown – colors found in nature – to create a sense of calm and tranquility, a place of rest, a million miles away from the hectic pace of everyday life.

This is not to say that the Japanese don’t like color in their gardens. In Japan, if there is a bright color, it is one plant at a time. If you are wondering how to design a garden with a pop of color, opt for azaleas, irises, and maples – they are all very unique.

Finally, by creating curves, flow and dynamism with garden path ideas, a path will become a feature in its own right.

“Walkways are used in Japanese gardens to help the body and soul wander,” says gardener David Domoney. “Most Japanese gardens feature decorative paths, walkways and bridges that meander to unseen areas of the garden.”

Many Japanese gardens feature gates that are not intended to serve as physical barriers. A gate or bridge can give visitors a sense of discovery and make a garden seem larger by dividing it.

Each area should be subtly concealed from the next, but there should also be a sense of connectivity and harmony.

Nisaku Hori Hori Namibagata Japanese Stainless Steel Weeding Knife

Nisaku Hori Hori Knife and Sheath

Small traditional Japanese lucky wind chime

Japanese decorative lights, solar path lights