Japanese Gardens in Australia

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Australia has around 30 Japanese gardens. Many gardens were designed by famous Japanese landscapers, such as Kenzo Ogata, Hachiro Sakakibara, and Ken Nakajima. We’d like to introduce great Japanese gardens in Australia.

Treasury Garden in Melbourne, 1902

The first Japanese garden in Melbourne is Treasury garden which was built in 1902.
It is said that an Australian man who was involved in the construction of a Japanese garden built at the San Francisco Expo site, designed this garden.

Japanese Garden in Treasury Gardens
Japanese Garden in Treasury GardensPhoto from https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/pictoria/gid/slv-pic-aab42656
Japanese Garden in Treasury Gardens
AcerLandscapes_Japanese_Garden_JapaneseGarden in Treasury Gardens2

Rockhampton Botanic Gardens, 1979
by Kenzo OGATA

It is one of the earliest Japanese gardens in Australia that was made for sister cities relationships. It is designed by Kenzo Ogata. His design is characterised by calm stone shores at the edge of ponds.

Rockhampton Botanic Gardens
Rockhampton Botanic Gardens
Rockhampton Botanic Gardens

Mt.Coot-tha Botanic Garden, 1982
by Hachiro SAKAKIBARA

One of Kenzo’s disciple, Hachiro Sakakibara design made a Japanese garden in Mt. Coot-tha Botanic garden. Around 1990s, many Japanese gardens were made to show the friendship of sister cities between Australia and Japan.

Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens
Mt Coot-tha Botanic GardensPhoto Taken by Naoko Makita
Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens

Jurakuen in University of Southern Queensland, 1989
by Kinsaku NAKANE

Kinsaku Nakane made Jurakuen in the University of Southern Queensland. He made a Japanese garden at Adachi Museum in Japan as well.

Jurakuen in University of Southern Queensland
Jurakuen in University of Southern QueenslandPhoto taken by Naoko Makita
Jurakuen in University of Southern Queensland

Japanese Garden in Melbourne Zoo, 1991
by Kinsaku NAKANE

Japanese garden in Melbourne zoo is also designed by Kinsaku Nakane. The stones and azalea is creating unique edges.

Japanese Garden in Melbourne Zoo
Japanese Garden in Melbourne ZooPhoto taken by Naoko Makita
Japanese Garden in Melbourne Zoo

 Making use of local materials and plants is the key essence of Japanese gardens. Even in Japan, Japanese gardens in Kyoto and Tokyo use different materials and plants.
Japanese gardens in Australia use Australian native plants and materials to adapt to the unique climate and environment of Australia, keeping the mind of Zen.

We, Acer Landscapes, always challenge to make Japanese gardens that keep the mind of Zen but also adapt to the environment of Australia.

Want to have
Japanese gardens
at Melbourne?

We are Japanese background landscaping specialists based
in Melbourne, Australia.

works by acer landscapes

Reference

Naoko Makita, Tsutomu Hattori, Makoto Suzuki, 2011, ‘A Study on the History and Present of Japanese Gardens in Australia’, JILA Annual Scientific Research Meeting Abstracts 2011(0), 135-135, 
https://ci.nii.ac.jp/naid/130007013014