1) Go to the local library and look for Japanese garden (I started like that way)

2) Visit local Japanese gardens

3) Google Japanese garden.

4) Start small

see mine

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/photos/51703020_zpid/#

good luck.

Research a lot, books, internet, ect.

Decide on the type of japanese garden you want, i.e. Strolling garden, tea garden).

Make a drawing to plot out the area and decide what you want to plant and where you want to plant it.
Make sure you use plants that will grow in your area. Also be careful of bamboo, which is great, but running varieties must be controlled.

Here are some of the plants I like. Some are hard to find at your local nursery but they can be found on the internet. It's a great resource for finding plants.

Japanese Maples - Many shapes, colors and sizes
Tree Peony
Japanese flowering plum/apricot
Weeping Cherry
Bamboo - Black/Tiger and Golden Goddess are three of my favorites
Flowering Quince
Azaleas
Camellias

Good Luck

Go to Barnes and Noble or comparable bookstore or library and LOOK at any books on Japanese gardening. Do this many times until you start to develop a vision for your space. From there, experiment and have FUN!!!!! Try anything and if it doesn't work, try something else!! It is your canvas!!

....I'm new to Zen gardens,....

I agree with the previous advice first determine what you like most. "Zen garden" is only one of the archetypes of Japaene gardens and is most commonly associated with the karesansui (dry rock) garden. Perhaps that is what you like but perhaps you mean in more general terms "a Japanese garden".
But then there are many types of these, with or without Buddhist influences. Perhaps it is a tea garden you like most, and/or that would best fit your setting ? Or perhaps you want to incorporate different style-elements in your Japanese garden ?
And then there comes feasibility and do-ability etc.
This link may help in your quest...
Enjoy,

Here is a link that might be useful: How to typify, architect and compose a Japanese garden ?

PLEease see my blog

How to build a japanese garden.

http://roychettan.blogspot.com/