Petit English Garden of MARPLE & POIROT
My wife and I started gardening in Fukuoka (Japan) in 2003. There was nothing but muddy clayey sloping land. At the beginning we made several structure such as steps and paths, and planted turf, fruit trees, roses, herbs etc. In 2010, we visited several famous English gardens, including Sissinghurst Castle Garden, Mottisfont Abbey Garden and Hidcote Manor Garden. We were shocked by the glory of those gardens. Since then, we have been trying to make small but glorious gardens by ourselves.
honey suckle
庭の紹介
6/07/2026
EARLY JUNE GARDENIG IN THE POTAGER (六月初めのポタジェの庭仕事)
6/06/2026
VIBRANT PINK NEW SHOOTS OF THE ASIAN JASMINE (ハツユキカズラの鮮やかなピンクの新芽)
Japanese jasmine 'Hatsuyuki-kazura' is a climbing plant with pink new shoots. It sprouts from within the Japanese boxwood hedge in the main garden, making it look as though pink flowers are blooming on the Japanese boxwood itself. As it grows denser over the top of the hedge, the parts of the boxwood in the shade begin to wither, so I take care to prune back the foliage once it becomes too dense to prevent the boxwood from dying. As the boxwood has grown since spring, I am pruning the newly grown branches. I am cutting them one by one with secateurs, so it is taking a little time. I intend to continue pruning little by little and hope to finish by the end of this month.
ハツユキカズラは新芽がピンク色のつる性植物です。メインガーデンのマメツゲの生垣の中から新芽を出して、あたかもマメツゲにピンクの花が咲いているように見えます。生け垣の上で茂ってくると日陰になったマメツゲの部分が枯れてくるので、茂ってきたら枝葉を減らしてツゲが枯れないように気を付けています。マメツゲは春から新芽を伸ばして大きくなってきたので、新たに伸びた分の枝を剪定しています。一本ずつ剪定ばさみで切っているのでちょっと時間がかかります。少しずつ剪定を続けて、今月中には終わろうと思っています。
6/05/2026
6/04/2026
GROUND CHERRY BERRIES ARE GROWING LARGER (ホオズキトマトの実が大きくなってきました)
Ground cherries produce round, yellow fruits about 1.5 centimetres in diameter, enclosed in thin husks, and have a sweet-and-sour flavour with a tropical taste. They bear fruit over a long period, from early summer through to winter. By the time the fruits turn yellow and ripen, the husks turn brown and the fruits fall off naturally. It looks as though we’ll be able to enjoy the first ripe fruits again very soon this year.
ホオズキトマトは薄い袋に包まれた直径1.5センチ程度の黄色の丸い実がつき、トロピカルな風味の甘酸っぱい味がします。初夏から冬まで長期間、実がつきます。実が黄色く熟する頃には袋が茶色になり、自然に落下します。今年ももうすぐ最初の熟した実を楽しめそうです。
6/02/2026
THE HYDRANGEAS HAVE STARTED TO BLOOM (アジサイが咲き始めました)
Hydrangea season has arrived. At the entrance at the top of the garden, the white hydrangeas are in full bloom, and some pale pastel-coloured flowers are just beginning to open. They are such lovely colours.
アジサイの季節がやってきました。庭の上の入り口では白いアジサイが満開になり、咲き始めの淡いパステルカラーをした花も咲いています。とてもきれいな色です。
ブルーベルの庭では山桜の下でアジサイが咲き始めました。ほとんどがきれいなブルーの花です。その横には一個だけ蕾をつけたアーティチョークがあります。
5/31/2026
TERRACED HERB BEDS IN LATE MAY (五月下旬のハーブの段々畑)
A variety of herbs are growing in the terraced herb beds. Rose geraniums, cherry sage and Salvia guaranitica are currently in bloom. Bees and hawk moths come to the flowers to feed on their nectar. A little pruning is needed to improve air circulation before the rainy season begins.
ハーブの段々畑ではいろいろなハーブ類が育っています。ローズゼラニウムやチェリーセージ、サルビアガラニチカの花が咲いています。花にはミツバチやスズメガなどが蜜を吸いにやってきています。梅雨に入る前に風通しを良くするために、少し選定作業が必要です。
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| Pink rose geranium flowers and Red cherry sage ones. ローズゼラニウムのピンクの花とチェリーセージの赤い花 |
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| Salvia Salvia guaranitica サルビアガラニチカ |
5/29/2026
FLOWERS HAVE STARTED TO BLOOM ON THE GREEN CURTAIN (緑のカーテンに花が咲き出しました)
We’ll soon be entering the rainy season, followed by the scorching heat of midsummer. To provide shade for the garden room, where the afternoon sun shines through the window, I’ve trained climbing plants from the walls on either side to form a green curtain. The vines have grown quite a bit and have started to flower. On the left is a potato vine, and on the right is a passion flower.
間もなく梅雨の季節に入り、そのあと猛暑の真夏がやってきます。西日の入るガーデンルームの窓に両側の壁からつる植物による緑のカーテンを伸ばして日よけにします。だいぶんつるが伸びてきていて、花もつけはじめました。左側がツルハナナス、右側がトケイソウです。
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| Potato vine ツルハナナス |
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| Passion flower トケイソウ |
5/27/2026
THE POTAGER GARDEN IN LATE MAY (五月下旬のポタジェガーデン)
At the entrance to the potager garden, the new shoots of the golden holly are a beautiful golden colour. The foxgloves are still blooming beautifully, their flower spikes stretching upwards. We have finished harvesting the cabbages from the pentagonal raised bed, and the potatoes will soon be ready for harvesting. The California poppies continue to bloom with their vibrant yellow flowers. The asparagus has grown tall and leafy, and the harvest is now largely complete. The chamomile has finished flowering; we have cut it down, dried it, and are using it as mulch for the mini watermelons. The flax is bearing plenty of seed. We will soon be entering the rainy season, followed by the intense heat of midsummer.
ポタジェガーデンの入り口ではオウゴンヒイラギの新芽が美しい黄金色です。ジギタリスは花穂を伸ばしてまだ美しく咲いています。五角形のレイズドベッドのキャベツの収穫が終わり、ジャガイモがもうすぐ収穫の時期を迎えます。カリフォルニアポピー(ハナビシソウ)が鮮やかな黄色い花を咲かせ続けています。アスパラガスは大きく枝葉を伸ばし、収穫も一段落です。カモミールの花も終わって、刈り取って干して小玉スイカの敷き藁にしています。亜麻はたくさんの実をつけています。まもなく梅雨の時期にはいり、そのあと猛暑の真夏に突入です。
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| Golden holly オウゴンヒイラギ |
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| Foxglove and rose ジギタリスとバラ |
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| California poppy ハナビシソウ |
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| White flowers of Deutzia setchuenensis シセンウツギの白い花 |
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| Asparagus アスパラガス |
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| Potato ジャガイモ |


































