SW Portland Japanese Garden

by Ben Bowen

Project Profile: A SW PDX Japanese Landscape by Mike Ellena and Ross NW Watergardens

A homeowner has a narrow courtyard and a desire for a Japanese Garden. Too bad? Actually, Japanese landscaping is a great fit for small spaces. This garden takes many elements common to Japanese gardens in the Pacific NW and scales them down to just the right size.

As a result, this garden feels larger than it is. And it never feels busy. The landscape designer took advantage of the space's length to develop a sense of depth.

Check out the pictures below and see what I think is one of our best landscapes of the year: