There are certain intrinsic principles that one needs to grasp to successfully capture the spirit of the Japanese garden. Most importantly, nature is the ideal that you must strive for. You can idealize it, even symbolize it, but you must never create something that nature itself cannot.

Sunny days just make you feel good. It seems everything is better when the sun shines. Well plants like sun, too. They need sunshine to grow the best and give you the best vegetables and flowers. This is why picking a nice, sunny garden spot is important. Take a walk around your yard and look for spots that have good sunlight, are easy to get water to, and aren't in the way of somebody else trying to have fun in the yard. You also might like to get a spot where people can see it, and you can show it off to everybody.