The selection of a smaller subject area for viewing, and the contrast between the dim interior and the bright exterior really enhance the aesthetic experience of the garden:
What?
That’s a picture of the garden at Koto-in, a subtemple of Daitoku-ji in northwest Kyoto, cropped down a bit from the original in this set of pictures. You can also get something of the same effect from a pure outdoor shot:
In this case, a shot through the upper gate at Ninna-ji, also in northwest Kyoto, and part of the same photoset.