Last summer I decided that my driveway was way to close to the house, and i really had no 'front yard'. So i began to move it and started creating a space for a decent sized pond and a Japanese inspired garden. I designed the waterfall to be viewed from many different angles including a patio we have around the corner from the front door of the house, its nice to finally have it plugged in! Now its just finish details, and planting! Oh check out the cool Pine I picked up yesterday. The waters pretty gross right now, as it was just turned on yesterday.
Since the rock work is more naturalistic than Japanese it might be better to leave out the Japanese style pruning.
I wouldn't, as you have already done all that work and it looks great. What doesn't look good is the poodle pine, easier and cheaper to keep the rock work and train the pine into a better shape.
It's great. I'm like it very much. Congratulation!!! How many time you need to finished it? and is it expensive too?
The rocks look great. I love the rock islands in the pond. Also, the big rounded rocks look like water should flow over them. It certainly seems in the style of the Yao garden at Bellevue Botanic Garden. I imagine further plantings and additions will make it more in the style of a Japanese Garden. What have you in mind? Ron, I think you're too harsh. You know how trimmed the garden at Seattle in Washington Park is, so this trimmed pine may be part of a plan like that. It is a lot of work and this is only the start. It seems Japanese-style gardens are an idealized version of nature, an exaltation of nature but also a strong influence of man's will and ideals on it. What sort of ideas are guiding you in constructing this garden?
Thanks Chuck, I just started the rest of the planting yesterday, I have a lot of really nice bamboos that are going to frame the whole garden, im more into masses of plants rather than many different plants. I put in a few large ferns to soften the rocks yesterday, and i might do a sea of bloodgrass under that pine right up to the edges of the rock. I want to add a few dwarf conifers, 1 magnolia and basically underplant everything with true mosses and Sagina. Well thats the plan as of today anyways...things might change when I hit up the nursery... :) As far as ideas guiding me? I have a couple nice books, and my imagination. Beijing, the water feature took about 3 weekends to build, yes it can be expensive.
I love it!! I had to show my hubby as he thinks my garden projects are over the top, we're tame compared to what you've tackled. It looks amazing and your house and yard are beautiful, what a lovely setting to live in. More pictures as you keep planting please!
Thankyou very much...its a work in progress thats for sure, I will definitely keep it updated as things happen! Here is a drawing I did of the bridge I plan to build to get to my front door. It will be a rolled peice of rectangle tube as a center beam with heavy rough cut 3x12 planks that will appear to just be hanging there...i want the illusion that it may be 'unsafe' while its completely structurally overbuilt. ;)
What nice books are you drawing from? The bridge sounds great. What types of ferns? It seems the sword fern is in very nook and cranny of Seattle, anyway. I would suppose Vancouver and Abbotsford, too?
Ha, I just borrowed about a dozen sword ferns from the forest at the back of my property today...yes they are everywhere! I will have a those for some evergreen color and add some more dainty ferns for fillers. I picked up 'the Art of Japanese Gardens' by Herb Gustafson, 'Japanese Gardens' by Gunter Nitschke and a fun one with some great pictures 'Japanese Gardens in a Weekend' by Robert Ketchell
From and in the Midwest U.S., I am envious of the sword ferns. A friend of mine runs Fancy Fronds Nursery outside of Seattle. I would consider a Dryopertis wallichiana, because a UBC forum acquaintance once told me it was the ballet dancer of ferns. It is lithe and large, I have seen. I am attracted to the crested ferns, and the fine-pinnaed Dryopteris filix-mas 'Linearis polydactyla' is wonderful and airy. I tend towards the Dryopteris filix-mas ferns because I think they will handle my more droughty conditions. You won't need a hose as much ad I do (or at all). You will have to set up a ticket booth so we can all come and pay our dollar to see your garden. Thank you for the book suggestions. I will tell Amazon you deserve a cut.
That wallichiana looks great! Definitely will add some of those, a friend of mine run a nursery that specializes in ferns, I will have to see what shes got this year. Its $5.00 per person for tours of my muddy mess of a yard, it goes up to $10.00 next year. :)
Ouch. Those look great. My Christmas ferns (Polystichum acrostichoides), are just now unfurling their croziers. You have been busy.
Hi Coastal: Well, you are way ahead of me. I'm just starting my small Japanese style garden. I notice that you say you have some bamboos. I would like one [or more] running bamboos that will grow somewhere around 10' +- tall, plus some that will grow much shorter and be clumping. Would you happen to know which might be good for this? I used to be in Abby over 30 years ago! I hope you will keep posting pics, as I will be very much looking forward to the development of your garden.
Starts comming very very nice. Developping small details takes long time but you getting there and you are definitely on right path.
This is fascinating. I love the small child in the garden, this scenario would really intrigue children. Congratulations from a mere "potterer" and I will be watching with great interest! Thank you for sharing it.
Thanks for the positive comments! :) The small child is my 2.5 year old daughter Natalia, she LOVES the pond and stream.
I like the different varieties of bamboo contrasting against each other, and like how you illuminated the bamboo at night. Looks great against all the natural wood in the house and bridge.
Hi Coastal: My internet has been out for the past 7 weeks, just back on tonight. Absolutely love your pics. I will have some questions for you after I clear 4744 incoming emails!!!!
No problem, ask away! Bijjy the different varieties of bamboo are kind of what started this whole project..and yes the lighting is very nice, now that its dark in the morning, i get to enjoy the lighting 2x a day!
Hi Coastal: In your third picture, is that Japanese bloodgrass in the background? And what are the grasses (?) in the water? I'm envious of your electricity and good water supply. We're on solar power, so very limited electricity, and water that we can store in tanks. I must say the garden is looking really nice.
Yes those are bloodgrass, and in the water its a dwarf cattail. I cant remember which one right now.... The pumps im using are 500watts each, and theres 2 of them which produce 5000GPH each.