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.

庭の紹介

　夫婦で庭づくりを福岡の郊外で2003年に始めました.　赤土むきだしの斜面にまず階段や園路をつくって芝をはり、果樹やバラ、ハーブなどを植えました.

　2010年にイギリスの有名なガーデンの、シシングハースト、モティスフォントアビー、ヒドコートマナーなどを回り、その素晴らしさに圧倒され、それから自分たちで小さくても素晴らしい庭をめざして庭づくりをつづけています.

12/23/2014

MORNING OF THE WINTER SOLSTICE (冬至の朝)

It was the winter solstice yesterday. In addition, it was a new moon. So, yesterday was the darkest day and night in this year.

From today, daytime becomes a bit longer and the moon appears and brightens the night.

Every weekday morning I take a walk in my neighborhood with my wife at around 7:00 a.m.

In December, it is still dark at that time, especially on a cloudy day. When I leave my house at 7:30, the sun rises. I come home after sunset, therefore, I can't look at our garden on weekdays. I've set LED illumination lights at the gazebo. They are twinkling at night.

The dawn looking from the summit of he hill (6:57 AM yesterday)

The gazebo windows with LED illumination (7:12 AM)

Pink flowers of camellia and rose with red leaves of blueberry (7:26 AM)

Snow on the mountains and rafts for culturing oyster on the sea (7:30 AM)

At night, we enjoyed Yzuyu or a hot citron bath, which refers to the bath in which yuzus (a kind of citrus fruits) are put and set afloat. Japanese traditionally enjoy it on the winter solstice.