Kristen's Project

Kristen, I loved the short answer; thank you for a bit of light reading before bedtime,

Jenny namaste

 

Update on the Japanese Garden. I thought it would be finished by now ... heck I thought that 5 years ago

Here's a recap, if you are familiar with the project you may want to skip ahead two messages

The original site - flat as a pancake - in 2013. Hedges planted to create rooms, no plan at all for what to do with each room, except that Mrs K comes from a hilly part of the country and thinks East Anglia is flat (wrong of course, it is "undulating" ) and had asked for "contours"



Chance visit to Compton Acres and fell in love with their Japanese Garden



We had huge amount of spoil left over from pond removal project 7 years earlier



and recent builders rubble from adding an extension (which I was not prepared to pay the muck-away price for, so we just "piled it" ...)



and clay from the footings



2015:

Put gabions around the edge and filled them with concrete waste


and shifted some of the clay pile

2016


Put some top soil (which we scraped off before we started) on top of the [now settled] clay. This is about half the area, and two years' "Summer Holiday Time Off Work" so far

Plumbing which needs to be underneath the next section


2017

Granite Blocks to line the path



Did a "Try on" of the Azaleas. Poor things stuck in pots, having been promised "I'll plant you real soon now ..."



Dug the pond (having to work towards the far end, as once that is done there is no way back in again!)


2017 Season Completed



2018

Went with Shiney to see the horseshoe Azalea bank at Isabella Plantation in Richmond Park


I'd seen a photo years earlier, but wanted to see it in the flesh. Its the riot of colour, and reflection effect, that I want

Planted the Azaleas



Couldn't figure out how to shutter the perimeter for a ring-beam of concrete so ...

... filled it back in again.

Mrs K did an exceptional good impression of a sense of humour failure!


Ring Beam

Dug it back out again!


Lined it

 

2019 - Year 5 ...

planted some Rhododendrons


We are alkaline here. I imported Ericaceous soil for the Azalea bank, but wanted line-tolerant Rhododendrons on the Inkarho rootstock. Hard to find in UK, which has loads of Alkaline gardens of course ... suppliers who list them rarely seem to have any stock ... so I imported them from Germany where they had a fantastic range

Final bit, the "end wall", thereafter we won't be able to get back in again


Waterfall in far corner. Test: fill IBC, let it go at full bore, time it, see if there is enough flow . Try not to look too closely at the cost of pumps to push that rate of flow.

Back out of the far left corner building final Gabion retaining wall, backfill soil, and rocks using a "must be right first time" approach ... not my strong point!


Some rocks ...

 

2020

Diggering is all done Did some more planting



More Inkahro Rhododendrons from Germany


This meandering path is the "entrance", winding through the Rhododendrons (path gains about 4' in height) and then down to the water's edge ... across a non-existent! bridge, meander up the right side of the plot, back across an arch bridge and then some not-yet-decided "things of interest" on the left side and exit (pls tip the attendant )

 

2021


Mock-up bridge - testing for amount-of-arch, length of span that "looks right", reflections in the water, softening of the rock wall behind, view from the bridge. I'm sure a designer-person could visualise all that in their head. I can't.


Not wide enough, need to sit higher (and final water level will be a foot higher too)

Mock-up bridge at other end:


Its 6M width of water ... I had to bolt two ladders together to span it. If you are visiting do NOT walk on it . I will raise the water level shortly to get "final height mockup" to check reflections of Azaleas in flower, and Rhododendrons behind ... I'll have to get some 6' carboard cutouts of them to simulate "fully grown"



The meandering path, at the entrance, is intended to only give glimpses. Japanese stroll gardens have awkward stepping stones in the path so you concentrate on your feet for a few steps, and tall dense plants to navigate around, and then when you look up there is a new vista. Dunno if I can pull that off, but I'm having a go.

Climbing on the bank for a good view is not allowed because it spoils that whole "fooled you" charade but its my gaff, so here's a somewhat aerial viewpoint



Japanese Acers providing nice colour contrast

Some photos - looking at them just now I could have done with a bit of a tidy-up of Mypex that had blown off the path, and discarded pots and other "Looks like a Building Site" - which of course it still is.


Entrance


Looking back towards Entrance





I love how the only way that Rhododendrons know is "fit to bust"




back towards entrance


Steps down to lower level




Looking back




Zooming in ... to show how the Rhododendrons behind will form the backdrop to Azaleas (they will reach the height of the hedge behind when mature)

 

It is very, very pretty ... artistic and colourful. A mammoth project for sure. Thank you for sharing the progress. I can't remember, is it your private garden or will it be open to the public?

 

You are very kind Victoria, thank you. But I am doubtful it is as good in that sense, I'm not naturally artistic, just fairly handy with a JCB!

You are welcome any time

I am not planning to open the garden to the public, the effort Mr and Mrs Shiney go to every Spring is gargantuan. (Although people who do open their gardens say the "effort" to get it ready for the opening means that the garden is then in tip top condition for the rest of the season )

However, I have a bit of a plan. There is a "Secret Garden" club near here. I don't know much about it (maybe the clue is in the name!), but I am making a grand assumption that the members regard it as some level of exclusivity.

So I'll give them a slap-up lunch, take 20 of them round for a tour, and charge them £fifty-quid a head. If I did that 5 times a season I think I'd be able to do something similar to Shiney's laudable charity fundraising.

 

Thank you for your kind offer but I shall have to admire from afar through GC.

I like the "Secret Garden" Club idea.

 

I'd send the Lear Jet for you, but that wouldn't be very eco

 

Amazing Kristen,just fabulous.

 

Sorry Kristen,I know I'm a pest but would also love to see how your Knot garden is coming on