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.

3/28/2018

BEES HAVE COME TO OUR GARDEN (ハナバチたちがやってきた)

It was warm in average this month, and many plants have started flowering.

Hardenbergia is in full bloom for a couple of weeks,

and many bees have come to those flowers.

Bees are essential for pollination,

and we owe them a lot;

especially pollinating fruit flowers such as blueberry.

今月は平均的には温かくて、たくさんの植物が花を咲かせ始めています.

ハーデンベルギアは2週間ほど満開が続いて、
たくさんのハナバチたちが訪れています.

ハナバチは受粉には欠かせない存在で

私たちも大変お世話になっています.

特にブルーベリーなどの果樹の受粉です.

In the meadow behind fences of the border garden,
native wild berry (Rubus hirsutus) is bearing white flowers.
Bees are busy flying from one flower to another.
We can enjoy its red fruits in May.

ボーダー花壇のフェンスの裏に
野生のイチゴ（クサイチゴ）が白い花をつけています.
ハナバチが花から花へ忙しく飛び回っています.
5月には真っ赤なイチゴの実を楽しめます.

Japan Blog Village-English Garden

Japan Blog Village-Potager

3/27/2018

TODAY'S SHOT: Muscari in Full Bloom

満開のムスカリ（中央花壇）

Japan Blog Village-English Garden

Japan Blog Village-Potager

3/25/2018

CHERRY HAS STARTED TO BLOOM IN OUR GARDEN (庭のヤマザクラ開花)

The cherry in our garden lost its main branch last year,
however, it has started flowering today.

We really thank to the cherry.

庭の桜の木は昨年主枝を失いましたが、
今日開花しました
桜の木はとてもありがたく感謝です

Japan Blog Village-English Garden

Japan Blog Village-Potager

3/22/2018

TODAY'S SHOT: Pink Rose-Like Flower of Camellia 'Otome-Tsubaki'

バラ咲きのピンクのツバキ『乙女椿』
Camellia japonica var. decumbens cv. Otometsubaki Camellia

Japan Blog Village-English Garden

Japan Blog Village-Potager

3/18/2018

HARDENBERGIA IS AT ITS BEST (ハーデンベルギアが今見ごろ)

Purple Hardenbergia was planted two years ago when the border was renewed.
It's grown very well and it fills an entire part left to the arbour seat.
On the right side, I planted pink Hardenbergia last spring,
and it grew to the top of the fence.
Pink Hardenbergia bears some flowers now.

It will grow more vigorously this season,
and will bear as many flowers as purple one do next spring.

Purple flowers

Pink flowers

2年前にボーダー花壇をつくり直した際に植えた紫のハーデンベルギアは
とてもよく成長して、アーバーシートの左側を埋め尽くしています
右側は昨年春にピンクの品種を植え
フェンスの上まで成長して、少し花をつけています
今年はもっと旺盛に成長して
来春には紫と同じようにたくさんの花をつけることでしょう

Japan Blog Village-English Garden

Japan Blog Village-Potager

3/17/2018

HARVEST, COOK AND PLANT JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE (エルサレムアーティチョークの収穫、料理、植付け）)

At the end of the last November, we started to harvest Jerusalem artichoke,

and it's time for planting tubers for this season.

We dug up all of them from one of two felt container we grew it last season,

and the harvest was about 3.5 kg.

That's wonderful!

昨年11月の終わりにエルサレムアーティチョーク（キクイモ）の収穫を始め、
今年のために種芋を植え付ける時期となりました
昨年育てた2つのフェルトプランターの一つから全部芋を彫り上げたら
3.5キロもありました！

We planted three small tubers in each felt container in March 2017.

They grew very well, and bore small sunflower-like flowers in October.

March 2017

去年の3月、それぞれのフェルトコンテナに3個ずつ小さな芋を植え付け、

どんどん育って、10月には小さなヒマワリのような花をつけました

Using today's harvest, my wife made ’tsukudani’,

that is preservable food boiled down in soy sauce with cut tangle (seaweed).

It's crispy and taste so good.

Moreover, it helps to moves the bowels.

(It's called as fartichoke:)

今日の収穫の一部を使って、家内が刻み昆布と一緒に佃煮をつくりました
とっても歯ごたえがあり、おいしくて
しかもお通じをよくしてくれます
お〇らチョークとも呼ばれています（笑）

We planted small tubers in three felt container at the periphery of the garden
for this season.

ことしの収穫のために庭の端っこに3つのフェルトコンテナに
小さなイモを植え付けました

Japan Blog Village-English Garden

Japan Blog Village-Potager

3/15/2018

JUST BLOOMING PLUM FLOWERS AND FULL BLOOM OF DAFFODILS (スモモ開花、ラッパ水仙満開)

Spring is the most exiting season, and we find new flowers every day in the gardens. A very warm days are continuing here, and I found some plum flowers started to bloom.