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.
It has been sunny every day since 4 May, so the garden is quite dry and needs watering. The roses in the side yard garden are in bloom. These are varieties that come into flower a little later than usual; they weren’t in bloom at all during the open garden event the other day. ‘Summer Snow’, the white rose at the very top of the main garden, is a variety that produces hundreds of flowers on a single tree, and it is now in full bloom. The ageing ‘Pierre de Ronsard’ is also producing a few flowers.
In the ‘Blue Border’—a flowerbed on the east side of the main garden where we grow flowering shrubs and perennials with blue flowers—the catmint is currently in full bloom. Flower bees visit every day, drawn by the nectar. The two lamb figurines have really settled into the scenery here (or perhaps we’ve just got used to them). Behind the catmint, I have temporarily placed two potted olive trees. They are covered in tiny flower buds and look set to bloom very soon. I plan to transplant these two olive trees into the large pots in front of the brick wall.
Angela, the pink rose that blooms atop the arch, is now in its fifteenth year. It reaches full bloom at this time every year and is one of the star roses of the main garden. As dusk falls, its colour appears slightly different from how it looks during the day.
The early summer sun is strong, and on clear days it can be so bright that the contrast becomes too harsh, making it difficult to appreciate the beauty of the flowers and foliage. However, in the early morning, at dusk, and on cloudy days, the colours and shapes of the plants stand out clearly, creating a beautiful sight. The photographs below were taken in the afternoon, once the sun had gone down. Please also take a look at the video.
I set up a scarecrow made from Peter Rabbit’s jacket and shoes in the potager garden and took photos and videos of the garden in the morning. There’s also Jemima Paddle-duck.
We are holding an open garden tomorrow and the day after. The weather forecast predicts sunny weather on both days. We look forward to welcoming you with our Union Jack flying. You are most welcome to come along.
