The best gardens do something more than look beautiful.

They change how you feel when you're in them.

About me

A bald man with a beard, wearing a sweater and a wristwatch, standing with arms crossed in a room with a white ceiling and a hanging lamp.

The name Sakura comes from the Japanese word for cherry blossom - a flower that symbolises beauty, impermanence, and renewal. The falling petal is an invitation to be present: to let go, to accept life's transience, and to find peace in the moment rather than resist it.

I’m Ejay O Mahony, founder of Sakura Garden Design. I design contemporary gardens with an emphasis on contemplative, restorative spaces: environments that invite stillness, presence, and a genuine connection with the natural world. My design ethos is grounded in personal experience and a deep understanding of how powerful quiet, thoughtful landscapes can be. It is what draws me to work at the intersection of nature, design, and emotional wellbeing.

I hold a professional diploma with distinction in garden design from the Garden Design Academy of Ireland. I bring to my practice a professional foundation in senior project management, with over sixteen years of experience at a global e-commerce company. This background instilled in me a disciplined approach to complex briefs, stakeholder communication, and delivering work to a consistently high standard.

My studio is based in Co. Cork, and I work throughout the surrounding region. For exceptional projects, I am open to working further afield; please get in touch to discuss.

  • In 2016, before I had any formal training in garden design, my wife Catriona had been living with a terminal illness since 2011. On the days when treatment left her too unwell to leave our home, I wanted to give her somewhere beautiful to sit — somewhere that felt like the world outside had come to her. Over a four year period we transformed our garden in Co. Cork and spent many hours in it — together and alone — processing the weight of what we were facing. It became a space where difficult emotions had somewhere to go. Where silence felt like company rather than absence.

    Catriona, my best friend and the person I had spent almost twenty years with, passed away in my arms on 11/11/2020. She was forty-five.

    Living through that experience changed my understanding of time, space, and the importance of places that allow people to breathe and reflect. A well-designed garden does something that very few other spaces can. It holds you. During the most difficult periods, the natural world offers a quiet kind of support — moments of stillness and peace, without demanding anything in return.

Design process

Every Sakura project follows a clear, structured process — so you always know where you are, what comes next, and what everything costs. No vague timelines, no surprises. Just careful, considered work at every stage.

The process below outlines the full journey for Design Consultancy and Design & Project Oversight clients.

A full list of services can be found here.

  • Contact us image

    1. Initial contact

    Every project begins with a conversation — usually a short phone call or email exchange.

    This helps us to get a sense of each other and discuss your ideas. If you decide to take the project further, we arrange a site visit and consultation.

  • Site base plan

    2. Consultation

    We visit the site to help further understand your garden, lifestyle, and what you need from the space.

    A comprehensive written brief outlining the design process, fee structure and summary of site conditions and goals is shared post-visit.

  • Concept design - Plan view

    3. Concept design

    The concept phase focuses on spatial layout and composition.

    Building on your brief and findings from the site visit, an annotated, to-scale 2D concept plan, 3D visuals and mood boards are shared to convey overall atmosphere.

  • A modern outdoor front garden with deciduous trees, plants, stone boulders and a corten steel water feature.

    4. Developed design

    Once the concept is agreed, a detailed masterplan is developed.

    Preliminary planting and material palettes, spatial arrangements and locations are proposed. Enhanced 3D visuals are used to show important angles and views.

  • Technical drawing of a water feature with dimensions and labeled components such as concrete blocks, reservoir, subbase, and piping.

    5. Technical specifications

    Detailed technical drawings are produced for pricing and construction. These include setting out plans, lighting locations, levels and cross sections, as required.

    I can recommend contractors who can bring the design to life, or you can choose your own.

  • Landscape diagram of a landscaped area with labeled plants, trees, and flowers, including Hostas, Athyrium niponicum, Convallaria majalis, Anemanthele lessoniana, Crataegus Monogyna, and Hakonechloa macra, along with a pathway and some small decorative elements.

    6. Planting plan

    Planting plans indicate the location of each plant along with a schedule detailing species, size, and quantities for costing and ordering.

    I have established relationships with trusted nurseries across Munster and can offer sourcing recommendations if required.

  • Sakura garden design project oversight service

    7. Project oversight

    Option of site visits for the purposes of aesthetic oversight and design intent management during construction.

    Intervals can be anything from key milestones to weekly visits until completion, ensuring the project is built to the specified plans.

  • A modern landscaped backyard with trees, plants, and a white sports car parked on a driveway under a blue sky with scattered clouds.

    8. Handover

    Depending on the service chosen, once the project is completed I walk the garden with you, explaining features, finishes and care.

    Seasonal interest notes along with care and establishment guidance are provided with all planting plans.

Our garden

A backyard patio at night with outdoor lighting, palm and other trees, a wooden fence, a hanging wicker chair, and garden pots.
A backyard patio at dusk with potted plants, a dining table with chairs, a closed patio umbrella, and neighboring houses with sloped roofs and skylights.
A backyard with a patch of green grass, small trees, a wooden fence, a white wall, and a light blue sky with a few clouds.
A black cat lounging on a white cushioned chair outdoors, with a plant in a red pot, a wooden fence, a gravel ground, a paved walkway, and a partial view of another black cat walking in front of the chair.
Three women standing in a landscaped backyard garden on a sunny day, with houses and solar panels visible on rooftops in the background.
Person lying on pink pillow on grass at sunset, with a black cat sitting on their chest looking at the camera.
A modern backyard garden with a gravel pathway, green grass, plants, and decorative elements, alongside residential houses.
A black cat lying on soil outdoors near green plants.
Get in touch