Okay, DH has added a new request

[Rajah]

This is out of the blue, but we've sketched out what we'd like and I think it would look really neat, assuming we could get it to work.

He wants to create a Japanese-style garden, complete with an arch and chair, and maybe even a small water feature.

So...here's the question -- what goes in a japanese garden?

I need to sketch up what we have in mind, because going over it tonight with my parents, we're finding that in *their* experience (mileage may vary of course, but they're only about 10 miles from us if that), everything we have planned is either easy growing/low maint, or very moderate maint. The biggest questions they had were whether the geraneums would work or not (some years they do for my parents, others they don't) and whether we could keep the mandivella alive since my mom's has died three years straight.

They also reminded that now isn't really the time to start (unless it's *making* the beds or planting the bulbs) because we still have a month and a half of potential freezes.

But, otherwise, they said in their experience everything we have in mind should work. (Except the japanese garden part -- they've no idea on that.)

So... wish us luck!

 

[Snowwark]

A Japanese garden sounds like a lovely idea Rajah.

Before the wind of spring
Has tangled the fine threads
Of the green willow --
Now would I show it
To my love.

Manyôshuû
trans. by W.G. Aston, 1899

Any of our Buds have experience with Japanese gardens?

 

[DixieDreamer]

I only know what I have "observed" in a few formal japenese gardens. The idea is to have form and texture vs. color ... it is also orderly and flowing. Traditional features of a japanese garden include simple hardscaping such as bridges, and formal walkways, water features such as ponds and waterfalls, and carefully pruned and shaped trees and shrubs that provide the texture and flowing height aspects.

Here is a pic I took at the Japanese garden at Butchart Gardens in the summer of 2001. Unfortunately, I was more enamored of the other gardens and took hardly any pics of the Japanese garden... but here is one. It gives the general feel though of what I am talking about. The rest of the garden did NOT have any more color than this. It is quite green, and calm with neutral wood and stone accents.

Hope that helps.

 

[Rajah]

Thanks DD! That helps get a picture. What I have in mind (we'll see if DH agrees or not) is some sculpted green in the middle of the bed, a green edging, a sculpture or two, and otherwise white stone lining the bed, with maybe an arch connecting the bed to the water feature, and something green with small white flowers (Jasmine maybe?) climbing the arch, though I don't know if that would be technically be Japanese.

I do want to see if there's still a small public Japanese garden somewhere in town -- there used to be one up near the museum, but we've never gone.