Question
I am very interested in completely revamping my front yard of home which has a very mature bloodgood japanese maple more or less centered in the lawn.  I would like to radically minimize lawn area, if not eliminate it, planting ornamentals in groupings around the bloodgood, influenced by Japanese gardening techniques.  However, most of what I read is that traditional Japanese gardens do not include flowering plants and shrubs, often using rocks and sculpted shrubs to simulate hills and mountains.  Though this has great appeal, I would rather use flowering plantings with densities and mixes somewhat of an English garden approach, but restrained and sculpted with a decidedly Japanese character.  Are there any good examples of Japanese gardens that employ the use of rich blends of cool and warm colors of flowers?  Perhaps this is more Zen than traditional.  I have strong minimalist training in building design, which is often influenced by Japanese concepts of peace and serenity.  I would appreciate any help you can provide in this area of garden/landscape design.  Thank you.

Answer
There is a whole sub-culture of Japanese Gardening - as you say, the goal of traditional Japanese gardening is to emulate the nature, and to do so asymmetrically (unlike western ideals of symmetry), and to try and capture its vastness.  The "dry" version, composed entirely of rocks, is the ultimate in expressing this. Mounding, and big rocks represent mountains, pebbles are water, etc.

My understanding is that Japanese gardening can include the blending of color and texture. It's accomlished with a serene leaf color or perennial flower display like cherry-blossoms in the spring and fall-colored leaves, as opposed to our western "rose bush and some annuals that were on sale at Home Depot" kind of approach.

Maples (momiji) represent Japan's deep mountainous regions.  Other similar plants in that category are the Bamboo grass, Azaleas, Rhododendrons, Sumac, Bush Holly, and Wisteria (Fuji - where the mountain gets its name).  A "westernized" version would try and mimic the serenity and simplicity found in this form of garden design.  "Less is more" would be the rule.  Choose the plants and garden elements carefully.  Remember, these elements are "representing" nature. Its like a diorama...The ultimate Japanese garden-form is the bonsai, or "nature in miniature".

As to specific plants, I'd have to know your region, and climatic constraints.  Hope this helps.