Japanese Garden Inspiration

We were supposed to be here but the best laid plans...seem to derail handily into this.
 We are blessed in Portland to have a really well-known Japanese Garden.  I went seeking planting inspiration in renovating my 200 feet of 'garden walls' between my neighbor's shack and myself.

I tried last week to go but the torrential rains continued (rainiest June on record! and there is still a few days left in the month). This week, with my plane trip up to Olympia cancelled due to -- duh, more rain, I managed to take these photos.

Most of the photos were taken around 2pm - not optimum photo light but the surrounding firs in Forest Park help to minimize glare and haze. There is a outstanding view of the Portland skyline up here but the afternoon haze made for a deleted photo.

I am thinking one of the paths over to the neighbor's will become this. A shrub at the back of the water feature will easily transform the path to a little alcove.

I think I know where to get all the rocks.

I have a plant list but I still need to draw it out so the plants will fill in over the next ten years creating a living fence. Because good fences make good neighbors.

I'm not sure I can manage little paths meandering here and there. The bed may be long but only 25 feet wide at the widest point.

Weird green glare here - but I would like to try a multi-trunk Kousa Dogwood in the midst of shirred Azaleas. 

I could also put bamboo panels to block the worst shack moments while the plants grow up.

I am pretty sure I am not putting these concrete Japanese shrines in the design.
I like them but the rest of the yard will NOT be Japanese inspired. Nor am I Japanese. I think we will stick to really cool rocks.

2008 Olympic Air Show from Scott Gribble on Vimeo.