Hi John, when making a dry stream you can lay pebbles to any depth really. If you wanted to lay fewer cobbles you could bed them into cement so that they remain in the original place that you put them. Alternatively you could use smaller diameter pebbles and vary the depths slightly to give the impression of movement down the stream.

It looks lovely. Which moss did you use on the side of the stream?

Hi Ann, Moss as found in Japan doesn't suit the English climate. To cut a long story short our summers are not humid enough. We would recommend two alternatives. 1). Sagina subulata, this is available in dark green or light green varieties, is mound forming and both have tiny white flowers in the summer. 2). Sedum matting, this is sold on rolls and is laid like turf. The sedum is shown in the photo below.

Modern Japanese Garden at Design Studio · Еще

Ah that explains it. Last year I trialed sheet (Hypnum) and cushion (Leucobrynum) mosses in my garden but unsuccessfully as I have alkaline chalk and really they prefer acidic clay :-( Also my puppy thought moss was a great plaything! However, we do have moss growing between trees along a nearby north-facing riverbank which I will try to identify.