Give your garden the Oriental look Bring elegance and tranquillity to the garden with Japan-easy plants

Bring elegance and tranquillity to the garden with these Japan-easy plants. Louise Curley nominates her top 10 for style and good behaviour

Japan is home to a fabulous array of plants, and because much of the country has a temperate climate like ours, many are happy growing here in Britain, too. Japanese gardens are peaceful, tranquil spaces with an emphasis on foliage and a palette of soothing greens. Flowers are used sparingly to highlight changing seasons or as eye-catching colour accents. Trees are important too, and two in particular – acers and ornamental cherries – are synonymous with Japanese gardens. Topiary is also a key feature, with tightly clipped plants pruned to represent natural features in the landscape, such as distant mountains or clusters of trees. When flowers are used, these are single blooms with a simple, delicate beauty, such as camellias and tree peonies. But you don’t need to create an entire Japanese garden to make use of these plants; most will make good-natured border additions in any style of garden.