I have had a love and fascination for the Japanese culture for many years. I especially love the tranquil and simplistic design of the Japanese gardens. The Japanese garden has a calming effect on me and I have always wanted to create one. I thought that the neglected space in the back corner behind the addition would be an ideal place to create my Japanese garden retreat. Japanese gardens are known as being some of the most beautiful gardens in the world. I have had the fortunate opportunity to visit The Huntington Botanical Gardens and Art Museum in San Marino California, where they have a large mature Japanese garden with a Tea House.  Some of my inspiration to create my Japanese garden retreat came from this garden and others in Japan and around the world. This website will take you through the journey of the creation of my small Japanese garden in my backyard. I will provide step by step instructions on how I created the garden retreat and helpful hints on how you can design and create your own Japanese garden retreat.