Japanese Garden Design in San Diego — The Art of Simplicity
A traditional Japanese garden in San Diego, designed with timeless elegance and ecological intelligence. Stone, water, and plants are arranged to create balance, harmony, and a meditative retreat within the Southern California landscape.
“Where traditional Japanese garden philosophy meets modern Southern California living.”
This project reimagines a San Diego residence as a traditional Japanese garden — a tranquil retreat where art, ecology, and simplicity converge. Inspired by the timeless work of Japanese masters, the garden blends stone, water, and plants into a living composition that evolves with the seasons. From koi ponds and bamboo screens to moss-covered stones and sculptural prunings, every element is designed to balance harmony and contemplation.
A short film of LASD Studio’s Japanese Garden in San Diego — a tranquil retreat blending koi pond, rock garden, bamboo, and seasonal planting. The design reflects the timeless philosophy of Japanese gardens while adapting to the Southern California climate, creating a living sanctuary of harmony, simplicity, and contemplation.
Welcome to our Traditional Japanese Garden, a serene oasis inspired by the renowned Japanese garden designer, Moso Sosoki. As you step into this tranquil space, you embark on a journey where nature seamlessly blends with meticulously crafted architectural forms, creating a harmonious retreat for the senses.
Our garden's centerpiece is a cozy sitting area, where a table and traditional Japanese chairs invite you to relax and immerse yourself in the surroundings. This heart of the garden is enveloped by various captivating elements that embody the essence of Japanese design.
Enchi Water Pond & Koi Habitat
First, let's stroll over to the water pond, known as Enchi. Here, the gentle ripples of the water are graced by the elegant presence of koi carp, their vibrant colors shimmering beneath the surface. Water lilies float gracefully, adding a touch of tranquility and beauty to this serene aquatic haven.
Karesansui Rock Garden — A Meditative Space
Next, we move to the Karesansui, or rock garden, a masterful composition where the entire space merges into a unified, meditative whole. Larger moss-covered boulders stand as garden sculptures, complemented by a carefully arranged tapestry of flat pebbles, flagstone materials, and varied gravels. These elements intermingle with lush plants, creating a dynamic yet peaceful landscape that invites contemplation.
Japanese Veranda (En) — Transition Between Worlds
A unique addition to the house is the Japanese veranda, or 'En.' This elegant space serves as a vital transition, gracefully bridging the interior and exterior worlds. From the veranda, you can experience the garden's beauty while remaining sheltered, making it a perfect spot for quiet reflection or enjoying the changing seasons. Enhancing the garden's aesthetic, our wall decorations feature traditional Japanese bamboo fencing and garden trellises with intricate square slots. These elements not only provide structure but also add a touch of timeless elegance to the surroundings.
Evening Illumination — A Garden Alive at Night
As night falls, the garden comes alive with a thoughtfully designed lighting scheme, transforming it into an enchanting evening retreat. Soft, ambient lights highlight the garden's features, creating a magical atmosphere that invites you to linger and enjoy the tranquility of the night.
Planting Philosophy — Elegance in Every Branch
The plantings throughout the garden have been meticulously selected for their branch structures, leaf shapes, growth patterns, and simple natural aesthetics. Each plant contributes to the garden's overall harmony, ensuring a seamless blend with the architectural elements. We invite you to explore and experience the peaceful beauty of our Traditional Japanese Garden, where every detail has been crafted to offer a serene and harmonious escape from the everyday world.
Step into a world where time-honored Japanese garden philosophy meets the elegance of modern design. In this tranquil space, the boundaries between indoor and outdoor blur, allowing nature to flow seamlessly into everyday life.
The wooden lattice screens, with their intricate patterns, invite dappled sunlight to dance across the floors, creating a serene interplay of light and shadow. Outside, a meticulously crafted garden awaits—a sanctuary of stone pathways, gently flowing water, and blossoming trees that whisper the essence of tranquility.
This is more than a garden; it is a harmonious blend of simplicity and sophistication. Here, the ancient art of Japanese landscaping finds new life in contemporary forms, offering a space where you can pause, breathe, and reconnect with the natural world. The presence of modern furniture within this traditional setting is not a clash, but a conversation—a dialogue between the past and present, inviting you to experience the beauty of both.
Every element, from the carefully placed rocks to the thoughtfully designed seating, is an invitation to linger, reflect, and appreciate the delicate balance between nature and human artistry. In this space, the hustle of the outside world fades away, leaving you with a profound sense of peace and a deeper connection to the art of simplicity.
EXISTING CONDITION
PROJECT DESIGN DRAWINGS
LASD Studio taking project from beginning, through permitting process and construction, whether it is new construction of historical designation or landscape renovation private and comercial properties.
Bohemian Minimalism — Spanish Revival Garden in Mission Hills
A unique landscape design blending Bohemian Minimalism with the timeless character of Spanish Revival architecture. This project celebrates simplicity, texture, and ecological intelligence, creating a garden that feels both artistic and enduring.
Honoring historic Spanish Colonial Revival architecture with a modern, minimalist landscape design.
This Mission Hills project reimagines a historic Spanish Colonial Revival estate through the lens of Bohemian Minimalism. The garden celebrates the architecture’s heritage while introducing fresh, contemporary rhythms that connect indoor and outdoor life. Drought-tolerant Mediterranean plants, sculptural hardscape, and layered textures create a space that is both timeless and forward-looking — a living work of art that evolves with the family and the land.
A short film presenting LASD Studio’s transformation of a Spanish Colonial Revival estate in Mission Hills. The design blends Bohemian Minimalism with Mediterranean resilience — drought-tolerant planting, sculptural hardscape, and timeless architectural dialogue. The result is a garden that honors history while embracing contemporary outdoor living, creating a sanctuary where heritage and modernity coexist in harmony.
The Spirit of Spanish Revival — Architecture and Landscape in Dialogue
At the heart of our work is the art of listening—listening to our clients, to the architecture, and to the natural surroundings. We were entrusted with a remarkable project: a historic Spanish Colonial Revival property in Mission Hills, originally built in the early 20th century.
Minimalist Geometry Meets Bohemian Flow
Our design challenge was to create a landscape that not only harmonizes with the architectural style of this Spanish Revival home but also establishes its own distinctive voice. Clean lines and minimalist geometry provide structure, while layered textures and bohemian flow bring warmth and movement. The balance of order and spontaneity allows the garden to feel curated yet alive — a setting where history and contemporary living evolve together.
Planting Palette — Mediterranean Resilience and Elegance
The planting palette draws inspiration from Mediterranean resilience: drought-tolerant shrubs, sculptural succulents, flowering perennials, and aromatic herbs create a garden that thrives in San Diego’s climate. Manzanitas, sages, rosemary, and grasses combine with modern groundcovers to soften architectural edges while respecting the spirit of Spanish Revival heritage. Seasonal shifts bring fragrance, color, and texture, making the garden a living, evolving artwork. This project has become one of our favorites, embodying how thoughtful design can both preserve tradition and spark renewal.
Outdoor Living — Spaces for Contemplation and Gathering
Beyond planting and form, this landscape was envisioned as a framework for life. Shaded terraces and intimate alcoves invite quiet moments of reflection, while open courtyards and garden rooms welcome family gatherings, celebrations, and artful living. The garden flows with the rhythms of daily life — equally suited for private contemplation and social connection. By blending historic elegance with modern comfort, the outdoor spaces extend the home’s architecture into a sanctuary where people, art, and nature coexist.
Existing Condition — From Heritage to Renewal
PROJECT DESIGN DRAWINGS
LASD Studio taking project from beginning, through permitting process untill full realization. whether it is new construction of historical designation or landscape renovation private and comercial properties.
PROJECT EXPLANATION
Sanctuary of YUM: Exotic Orchards & Wellness Programs. Bonsall, California.
The Sanctuary of YUM in Bonsall, San Diego, is a landscape of exotic orchards, healing gardens, and wellness programs. Designed as a retreat, it integrates ecological intelligence with community, art, and regenerative farming practices.
A private estate reimagined as a sanctuary of wellness, exotic orchards, and ritual spaces.
The Sanctuary of YUM in Bonsall, California is a landscape designed to nourish both body and spirit. Blending exotic orchards with native California systems, the garden creates a place where food, art, and wellness come together. At its heart lies a ritual labyrinth — a space for walking meditation and reflection. Every element is designed as part of an evolutionary intelligent system, supporting ecological cycles while providing spaces for contemplation, community, and healing.
A short film of the Sanctuary of YUM in Bonsall, a four-acre retreat blending exotic orchards, a meditation labyrinth, wellness spaces, and farm-to-table gardens. Designed by LASD Studio, it is a living sanctuary for restoration, community, and ecological beauty.
Concept Vision — Landscape as Healing Sanctuary
The Sanctuary of YUM was imagined as more than a garden — it is a living sanctuary where every element contributes to restoration, wellness, and beauty. The design draws inspiration from both ancient ritual landscapes and contemporary ecological science, creating a place where visitors feel grounded in nature while connected to something larger than themselves. Pathways, water, and planting flow as one continuous system, offering an experience of balance, serenity, and renewal.
Exotic Orchards & Edible Gardens
At the heart of the design lies an orchard of exotic and Mediterranean fruit trees, weaving productivity with artistry. Citrus, figs, olives, pomegranates, and subtropical species form a lush edible landscape, supporting both culinary delight and ecological resilience. Interplanted herbs and pollinator-friendly groundcovers attract bees and butterflies, ensuring that the garden is as alive with biodiversity as it is with flavor. The orchard becomes a daily ritual of nourishment — a reminder of the cycles of growth and harvest.
Ritual Labyrinth — Path of Reflection
The labyrinth is conceived as a sacred journey — a place for meditation, mindfulness, and personal reflection. Inspired by traditional forms yet adapted for this site, its spiraling path encourages slow movement and inner focus. Surrounded by aromatic planting and shaded by native trees, the labyrinth serves as the spiritual core of the sanctuary, a space where landscape, body, and spirit come into alignment.
Outdoor Living & Wellness Programs
The estate is structured around a series of outdoor rooms designed for wellness, family life, and celebration. Shaded terraces, yoga decks, water features, and contemplative seating areas invite both activity and stillness. Every gathering space is framed by views of orchards and hills, reinforcing the connection between healthy living and ecological abundance. The garden becomes not only a place to inhabit, but a lifestyle rooted in nature’s rhythms.
Ecological Foundations — Water, Soil, and Biodiversity
Beneath its beauty, the Sanctuary of YUM is built on strong ecological foundations. Advanced irrigation systems optimize water use, while soil restoration techniques improve fertility and resilience. Native California species are interwoven with exotic plantings to support biodiversity and ensure long-term sustainability. By aligning horticultural practices with ecological intelligence, the landscape thrives as a self-sustaining system that evolves gracefully over time.
EXISTING CONDITION
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
This four-acre estate in Bonsall has been transformed into a sanctuary of exotic orchards and wellness programs, designed to host both private and group retreats. Our collaboration began in 2020, when owners Laurence and Yulia reached out with a dream of creating a retreat center but were unsure how to bring it to life.
Together, we developed a holistic vision for the landscape. Over the course of two years and many thoughtful refinements, that vision evolved into the sanctuary you see today. What impressed us most was the passion of Laurence and Yulia — not only did they understand the design intentions, they became deeply engaged in shaping every step of the process.
Originally, the land held fifty-year-old avocado and pomegranate orchards in decline. Through careful pruning, planting of cover crops, and natural methods to attract pollinators, the owners lovingly restored these orchards. We complemented their work with new design layers:
A temple garden for meditation and spiritual practice
The Dragon’s Den, a multipurpose retreat space with hot/cold tubs, dining and dance areas, and a Balinese entryway
An eighty-foot pergola farm table for farm-to-table events
Over 3,000 square feet of vegetable and flower terraces
A new waterfall and pond adding movement and reflection to the landscape
Today, the Sanctuary of YUM is a true oasis — a place where people come to restore energy, celebrate life, and connect with nature through food, art, and community.
Please check Sanctuary of YUM - https://sanctuaryofyum.com/
Post-Classicism in Transition to Modernism. Omaha, Nebraska
A private garden in Omaha, Nebraska, designed as a dialogue between classical traditions and modernist innovation. Pergolas, pools, sculptural planting, and outdoor rooms create a landscape where history transitions into contemporary living.
“A Modern Garden Design in Omaha”
Philosophy of the Design
The Omaha Modernist Garden is a living dialogue between Post-Classical architecture and contemporary landscape design. Our goal was not to fix the property within a rigid historical style but to allow it to evolve — freeing the Post-Classical home to transition gracefully toward Modernism.
This vision dissolves boundaries, opening space for eclectic combinations of styles that celebrate unpredictability and the richness of future transformations. The result is a landscape that is both a sanctuary for people and a living system for nature.
Elegant rear garden design with rectangular pool on an oval terrace, bold steps, sculptural urns, and outdoor lounge seating, blending post-classical symmetry with modernist garden design principles.
Post-Classicism in transition to Modernism 3D visualization
A cinematic presentation of LASD Studio’s Post-Classicism Modernist Garden in Omaha, where architecture, art, and ecology converge. The film reveals a garden that transitions from classical order to modernist freedom — with pergolas, water features, organic forms, and ecological planting creating a living system that unites people and nature.
Guiding Principles
The design is grounded in global ecological thought and a lineage of visionary designers, architects, and scientists:
Design with Nature — Following Ian McHarg’s groundbreaking philosophy, we place ecological systems at the center of design.
Evolutionary Landscapes — Nature is never static; it evolves. Our design embraces flux, change, and interconnectedness.
Regeneration & Recovery — The garden aids the land’s healing from human impact, restoring ecological processes.
Do No Harm — Materials and methods respect the earth, ensuring resources for future generations.
Integrated Systems — Humans and nature are not separate; this garden functions as a single living organism.
Aesthetic Simplicity — Inspired by natural forms, the design language is bold yet understated, where elegance meets sustainability.
Landscape architecture rendering of a front entry garden featuring a central fountain, formal axis, urn planters, and layered planting beds, expressing the transition from post-classicism to modernism.
Pergolas as Transitional Elements
Pergolas have always played both a functional and aesthetic role in garden design. They act as focal points, create vertical definition above patios and pathways, support climbing vines, and provide shaded areas for seating. Rooted in classical traditions, pergolas are essential features of historical gardens. In this Omaha project, LASD Studio reinterpreted the pergola for contemporary living — framing an outdoor dining space that seamlessly connects the interior and exterior, embodying the modernist principle of fluid transitions between house and garden. Check our special project series - Styles and Epochs of Art that influenced Landscape Architecture and Garden Design.
Water as Sculpture and Experience
Water features have long been central to garden design, from the Renaissance and Neoclassical estates of Italy to modernist landscapes. They provide reflection, movement, and sensory delight. At the Omaha residence, water elements were placed at both the front and rear of the home: a circular pool welcomes guests at the entry, while in the back, a rectangular pool set within an oval platform disrupts rigid geometry, creating a bold sculptural gesture characteristic of modernist garden design.
Modernist Principles — Function and Simplicity
Authentic Modernist gardens are defined by their strong link between house and garden, often structured around pools, terraces, barbecues, and outdoor dining. Ornament is minimal, detail is pared back, and the garden functions as an extension of everyday life. In Omaha, this approach shaped spaces that are not about decoration but about clarity, usability, and experiential flow — landscapes where simplicity itself becomes luxury.
Classical Influences — Kenneth Lynch and Garden Art
The tradition of sculpture and fountains in landscape design is continued here through references to Kenneth Lynch, who in the 1950s brought European garden artistry to the United States. His reproductions of limestone fountains and statues made classical craftsmanship accessible to American landscapes. By integrating such references, the Omaha project situates itself within a continuum of garden history — from European tradition to modern reinterpretation.
Organic Forms and Abstract Geometry
Earlier Modernist designs often combined severe linear grids with organic curves, creating tension between order and freedom. In Omaha, this dialogue is visible in the kidney-shaped pool, abstract sculptural elements, and curved garden margins. Such biomorphic forms, fashionable in mid-20th-century America, were inspired by Surrealist art, Cubist theory, and the idea that space can be perceived simultaneously from multiple viewpoints. Here, geometry becomes a language of modern art expressed in landscape.
Space as the Core of Modernist Landscape Architecture
If architecture defines buildings, modernist garden design defines volumes of space. Trees, shrubs, and structures are used not simply as decoration but as spatial walls — shaping outdoor rooms, linking house and garden, and creating depth and perspective. In this Omaha project, space itself becomes the medium, echoing modern architecture’s focus on volume, openness, and continuity.
Genius Loci — A Garden of Place and Spirit
Every site carries a genius loci — a spirit of place. LASD Studio’s design honors the climate, geography, and vegetation of Omaha, ensuring the garden is not an imported style but an ecological interpretation of its setting. The result is a landscape that encourages a relaxed way of living, integrating new materials, building techniques, and ecological awareness. It is both a modernist sanctuary and an evolutionary system, where architecture, art, and nature form a single living composition.
Back garden perspective with large pergola dining area, central stairway, formal hedging, perennial borders, and pool terrace, designed as part of LASD Studio’s Post-Classicism Modernist Garden in Omaha.
A New Entrance Experience
The entry sequence blends classical formality with modern abstraction. A large water feature and sculptural element anchor the arrival, offering a bold statement that resonates with the architecture while inviting guests into a renewed spatial narrative.
Garden Paths as Experiences
Curved and linear pathways guide visitors through a series of garden experiences, where each transition evokes unity and flow. Walking becomes an act of contemplation, a choreography of space, light, and seasonal change.
Winter Garden & Pottery Retreat
Designed for year-round use, the Winter Garden provides shelter and intimacy. With pottery, seating, and observation points, it becomes a sanctuary during colder months — a place for stillness and reflection.
Outdoor Dining & Social Spaces
The dining terrace and private lounge extend living outdoors, framed by ecological planting and subtle architectural gestures. These are spaces of gathering and sanctuary — equally vibrant in summer’s abundance or winter’s quietude.
Parterre Garden — Classical Meets Contemporary
A reinterpreted parterre garden bridges the classical and the modern. Trees, evergreen plantings, and herbs weave geometric structure with ecological depth, creating a timeless dialogue between order and wildness.
Stairs as Central Axis
A new grand stairway organizes the garden as a central line of movement. Bold, wide steps lead from the home to the landscape, transforming circulation into a ceremonial descent into nature.
Pool and Open Terrace
The pool area forms a luminous open space, a threshold between architecture and ecology. Here, post-classicism transforms into modernist clarity, framed by water, art, and sky.
3D visualization of the front entry courtyard with a circular fountain, formal paving layout, layered perennial planting, and mature trees, designed as part of a Post-Classicism Modernist Garden in Omaha.
EXISITNG CONDITION
A Living System of Art and Ecology
This Omaha garden is not only a design; it is an installation of life itself. Each space is both art and ecology, where sculpture, planting, and architecture converge into one evolutionary whole.
By freeing Post-Classical architecture into the openness of Modernist landscapes, the project becomes more than a garden — it is a cultural statement and an ecological restoration. It embodies the LASD Studio philosophy:
Designing Landscapes as Evolutionary Systems — where people, art, and biodiversity evolve together.
Spiritual Rebirth Sanctuary Garden – Encinitas, California
A Sanctuary Garden in Encinitas, California, designed as a vision of spiritual rebirth. Featuring meadows, meditation gardens, bioretention ponds, and native plantings, this landscape merges ecology, art, and wellness into a living sanctuary.
“An Ecological and Spiritual Landscape Transformation”
At LASD Studio, we believe gardens can become sanctuaries — places where people reconnect with nature, art, and themselves. The Spiritual Rebirth Sanctuary Garden in Encinitas was envisioned as more than a private garden: it is a living landscape of healing, renewal, and ecological balance.
Video presentation of the Spiritual Rebirth Sanctuary Garden in Encinitas, California — a meditative landscape design by LASD Studio featuring flowing pathways, water features, ecological planting for pollinators, and contemplative spaces that unite spirituality, biodiversity, and modern garden design.
Philosophy of the Design
The design draws inspiration from the essence of rebirth and transformation, where the garden evolves as an ecological and spiritual system. Influenced by both Eastern philosophy and the Southern California landscape, the project integrates ecological restoration with contemplative spaces.
The garden is not only a visual composition but a journey through energy, flow, and balance.
Every path, plant, and water element is designed to restore harmony between humans and the living environment.
Key Design Features
Meditation Lawn & Sanctuary Spaces
Open, grounded areas where stillness invites reflection.
Flowing Pathways
Curved circulation inspired by natural energy flows, guiding the visitor through stages of rebirth.
Water & Fire Elements
Balancing opposites, symbolizing purification, clarity, and transformation.
Native & Spiritual Planting Palette
Resilient species combined with symbolic plantings that attract pollinators, restore soil health, and offer seasonal beauty.
Sculptural & Artistic Integration
Bespoke garden elements that connect art, spirit, and ecology.
Ecological and Spiritual Layers
This sanctuary is also an ecological restoration project, rewilding the soil and inviting birds, pollinators, and beneficial wildlife back into the property. The design follows LASD Studio’s principle of Designing Landscapes as Evolutionary Systems, ensuring that the garden is not static, but continually evolves with nature and with the people who inhabit it.
The Experience
Stepping into the Encinitas Sanctuary Garden means entering a space where landscape becomes meditation. It is a contemporary interpretation of sacred gardens, deeply rooted in sustainability, spirituality, and timeless beauty.
Heaven Del Mar Sanctuary Garden – A Coastal Landscape of Harmony
“Heaven” is a sanctuary garden in Del Mar, San Diego, inspired by Claude Lorrain’s pastoral visions. With contemporary structures, lush planting, and timeless philosophy, the design creates unity between people and nature.
Blending Sustainable Design, Native Planting, and Coastal Living
The Heaven Del Mar Sanctuary Garden transforms a coastal property into a living sanctuary where architecture, ecology, and lifestyle seamlessly connect. Designed by LASD Studio, this project balances California coastal resilience with a refined garden aesthetic, creating spaces for relaxation, biodiversity, and sustainable living.
A cinematic video tour of the Heaven Del Mar Sanctuary Garden in California, showcasing outdoor living areas, pergolas, water features, and coastal native planting that supports biodiversity and sustainable living.
Project Description
Nestled in the coastal town of Del Mar, this sanctuary garden is designed to embrace both the natural rhythms of the ocean and the refined character of a private residence. The design integrates multiple functional and ecological layers, making the garden both timeless and forward-looking.
The project is divided into interconnected zones:
Entry Garden
A welcoming approach framed by native and drought-tolerant planting, setting a serene tone.
Living Spaces
Outdoor dining under pergolas, a BBQ island, and family lounge areas that extend the indoor lifestyle into the garden.
Water and Biodiversity
Reflecting pools and planted slopes that attract pollinators, birds, and butterflies while managing stormwater.
Coastal Plant Palette
Native California and Mediterranean plants selected for resilience, seasonal color, and ecological function.
PROJECT DESIGN DOCUMENTATION
The plan integrates Mediterranean and California-native species, including olive trees, manzanita, and Ginkgo, designed for resilience, biodiversity, and timeless beauty.
3D Landscape Design Perspectives - Del Mar, San Diego, California.
By weaving together these layers, LASD Studio created a sanctuary where people and wildlife thrive side by side. The garden is not just designed for today—it is a living, evolving system that will continue to mature, adapt, and give back to the land for generations.
Contemporary Landscape Design. Chula Vista, San Diego, California.
A contemporary garden in Chula Vista, San Diego, inspired by minimalism and clarity. With clean lines, open living spaces, and ecological balance, this project reveals the essence of space by eliminating non-essential forms.
LASD Studio works across garden design, landscape architecture, urban design, and regional landscape design. Our goal is to live in balance with nature. With landscape design, we have to close the cycle of clean water, fresh air, ready to plant soil, and other vital resources for the next generation.
Contemporary Landscape Design Minimal planting, clear order, clean lines. With this design, we were targeting open living space with a clear bound to the minimalist movement. This work set out to expose the essence of space and its identity by eliminating all non essential forms. In Buddhism - the art of minimalism living.
Existing Condition
Our landscape, ecology, civilization, and the future of the planet are at risk. We aim to create, shape, and restore the landscape and urban environments for the sustainable continuation of life on our planet. Our goal is to live in balance with nature and provide clean water, air, soil resources for the next generation.
We cannot achieve our goal alone. Whether you are an individual, commercial business, an NGO, or governmental institution, you are welcome to join our mission.
Life begins with you. Join our mission today.
Contemporary garden
San Diego, California