Ashland Japanese Garden — a gift to the community in Lithia Park

Landscapes designed for everyone are collaborative efforts, built to meet the needs of a broad and diverse community. That makes them uniquely challenging, and all the more rewarding.

Solid Ground partnered with Japanese Garden Specialty owner Toru Tanaka and Ashland Parks and Recreation to establish the garden in Lithia Park. The brief was a functional public space that captures the natural beauty and quiet simplicity of Japanese design.

Built to be walked through

The approach runs on cut flagstone banded by river cobble, wide enough for the numbers a public park brings, and passes under a timber entry gate with a tiled roof. Plastered walls and bamboo fencing hold the edges and frame what you are meant to see next.

Detail at close range

Bamboo trellis, hand-tied fencing and low copper path lights sit within arm''s reach of the visitor, which is where public gardens are usually let down. Planting beds are edged tight to the stone, and the mature Douglas fir on the site was kept and built around.