Spirit of the Forest is a contemplative woodland garden created for the Fukuoka Flower Show in Japan, awarded Gold Medal and Best in Show. The garden explores the relationship between people and forest landscapes, drawing inspiration from the quiet, restorative atmospheres of Ashiu Forest in Kyoto and Meiji Shrine in Tokyo.

At its core, the project reflects a wider ecological narrative. Following the Second World War, large areas of Japan were planted as single-species cedar and hinoki plantations. Many of these forests are now in decline, vulnerable to disease and lacking the diversity needed to adapt to future environmental challenges. Spirit of the Forest reimagines this condition through a small act of intervention — the selective clearing of plantation trees to allow light, diversity, and resilience to return.

The garden is conceived as a secluded clearing, where structure and atmosphere are shaped by a layered woodland planting palette. Trees create enclosure and shelter, while a rich understory of ferns, grasses, and herbaceous planting introduces texture and seasonal variation. The intention is not to replicate a wild forest, but to evoke its qualities — calm, depth, and quiet discovery.

Hinoki timber, reclaimed from the imagined thinning of the plantation, is used throughout the garden for decking, seating, and vertical elements. This material expression reinforces the narrative of stewardship, where removed trees are not lost but transformed into elements that support human connection with the landscape.

A sculptural metal spiral moves through the space, offering a subtle reference to the spiritual dimension of forests in Japanese culture — a quiet acknowledgment of the unseen presence often associated with trees and woodland environments.

Spirit of the Forest is ultimately a garden about transition — from density to openness, from monoculture to diversity, and from disconnection to a deeper, more sensory engagement with nature.