In the Flat Garden, the landscape designer uses a technique called "borrowed scenery," called shakkei, that can be used in other gardens even the small space gardens of the homeowner. The technique depends upon having some serenity in the distance, borrowing scenery from outside the immediate area and drawing the eye outward to the adjacent space.
Building and maintaining a Japanese garden takes commitment and requires a discipline in maintaining the sculptural shapes of shrubs, trees and groundcovers. Kurisu selected compact shrubs that keep a dense shape and have smaller leaves such as Orange Jasmine, Carissa, shrub Ligustrum and Japanese holly (Ilex crenata), avoiding any plants with a loose tropical feel, and taking care to use non-invasive plants such as clumping golden bamboo.
Gardens and sustainable green space are important for atmosphere and climate regulation, for water quality and aquifer recharge, pollution control, noise and wind reduction, and as habitat provision for birds and other wildlife. For Kurisu, the 6 new Morikami gardens are key to another kind of sustainability--that of green design for mind and spirit.
Comprehensive gardens and green space have been demonstrated to improve the strength of community by forming stronger bonds between residents and their surroundings.
Studies have found that green landscapes are effective in promoting human health through reducing stress. Stress reduction includes reducing heart rate and blood pressure, and reducing negative feelings such as anger, fear, depression and insomnia, anxiety and frustration. Increased levels of physical activity such as walking in the extensive gardens can lessen heart disease risk factors (systolic blood pressure, plasma cholesterol, plasma triglycerides), and provide increased immunity function.
