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.
I was VERY surprised to come across your blog today, whilst searching for 'English gardens in Japan' Not only do you speak English well but to my amazement, you actually live in the same area as myself! I'm a British man (40) married to my Japanese wife. And we both moved here to Itoshima, close to Maebaru city, and came from Fukuoka 4 years ago. Of course, being a keen (amateur) gardener, I also want to recreate the sense of being back in England in my own little Itoshima garden. Unfortunately I have had much less success than you. I was really surprised you could grow so many European plants in this Zone 9 heat. For example: I tried to grow Echium's many times from imported seeds, but they always, without fail, died in the middle of the summer due to the humidity. Is there some method you use to know which plants will propogate and which plants will fail? Or is it simply 'trial and error'?
Anyway, pleasure to meet you. It's very handy to see you blog-- I can use it as a reference to see which foreign flowers have the capability to grow here in Japan.
Dear Kristian It's my pleasure,too. We tried a number of plants, such as eryngium, rhubarb, oriental poppy, etc., which we saw in English gardens when we visited UK, and many of them died mostly in a humid summer. However, plants like rose and foxglove love hot summer weather. If you have a chance, why don't you visit our garden in the near future. It takes just 30 minutes drive from your place.
I was VERY surprised to come across your blog today, whilst searching for 'English gardens in Japan'
ReplyDeleteNot only do you speak English well but to my amazement, you actually live in the same area as myself!
I'm a British man (40) married to my Japanese wife. And we both moved here to Itoshima, close to Maebaru city, and came from Fukuoka 4 years ago. Of course, being a keen (amateur) gardener, I also want to recreate the sense of being back in England in my own little Itoshima garden. Unfortunately I have had much less success than you. I was really surprised you could grow so many European plants in this Zone 9 heat. For example: I tried to grow Echium's many times from imported seeds, but they always, without fail, died in the middle of the summer due to the humidity. Is there some method you use to know which plants will propogate and which plants will fail? Or is it simply 'trial and error'?
Anyway, pleasure to meet you. It's very handy to see you blog-- I can use it as a reference to see which foreign flowers have the capability to grow here in Japan.
Dear Kristian
DeleteIt's my pleasure,too.
We tried a number of plants, such as eryngium, rhubarb, oriental poppy, etc., which we saw in English gardens when we visited UK, and many of them died mostly in a humid summer.
However, plants like rose and foxglove love hot summer weather.
If you have a chance, why don't you visit our garden in the near future. It takes just 30 minutes drive from your place.