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.

4/24/2026

PRUNING THE BOXWOOD IN THE POTAGER (ポタジェの西洋ツゲの剪定)

The potager garden is situated on an isosceles triangular plot, with a shed positioned in the far corner. The long side to the left has been laid out as a border bed, whilst the rest of the plot is enclosed by a boxwood hedge. Furthermore, a trapezoidal enclosure of boxwood has been created within the garden, containing seven raised beds (one triangular, one square and four pentagonal).

ポタジェガーデンは二等辺三角形の土地にあり、奥の角にはシェッドを配置しています。その左の長辺部はボーダー花壇とし、そのほかの部分は西洋ツゲの垣根で囲っています。さらに、庭の中では台形の形で西洋ツゲの囲いをつくり、その中に7つのレイズドベッド（三角形１つ、四角形1つ、五角形４つ）を配置しています。

The boxwood is evergreen and does not grow new shoots during the winter. It does not shed its leaves even in spring, but instead produces new shoots from the tips of its branches. These new shoots are a bright green and look very pretty. However, if left unchecked, they will grow too large, so pruning is necessary. As the new shoots had become quite dense by April, I carried out the first pruning of the year.

西洋ツゲは常緑で、冬の間は枝を伸ばしません。春になっても落葉することはなく、枝の先端から新芽を伸ばします。新芽は明るいグリーンで、とても綺麗です。しかし、そのままにしておくと大きくなりすぎてしまうので、剪定が必要です。4月になって新芽がたくさん茂って来たので今年最初の剪定を行いました。

Before pruning boxwood　西洋ツゲ剪定前

A half of hedge was pruned　生け垣の半分剪定したところ

After pruning　剪定後

I pruned the trapezoidal hedge inside the garden on my own using hedge shears. Whilst this method has the advantage of being quick and producing a straight cut, the leaves and thin twigs that have been cut in half by the shears are quite noticeable on the surface, and when you look closely, it looks a rather pitiful sight.

庭の内部の台形の垣根は刈り込みばさみを使ってひとりで剪定しました。この方法は作業が素早くまっすぐに切れる利点があるのですが、表面に鋏で半分に切られた葉や細い枝などが目立って近寄って見るととても痛々しい感じがします。

Condition of the surface following pruning with hedge shears

刈り込みばさみによる剪定での表面の状況

I pruned the hedge around the perimeter using secateurs. As it was time-consuming, my wife helped me and we did it together. Using the secateurs, we pruned the new shoots that had grown this spring, one by one. You can usually tell the new shoots apart by the colour of their leaves. Last year’s leaves are dark green, whilst the new shoots are a lighter green. Furthermore, as new shoots often grow from two side shoots, we made sure to cut them just below the base (please see the video for details).

外周の垣根は剪定ばさみを使う方法て剪定しました。時間がかかるので家内に手伝ってもらって二人で剪定しました。剪定ばさみをつかって枝この春に伸びた新芽をを一本ずつ剪定します。新芽は主に葉の色で見分けます。去年の葉は濃い緑色で、新芽は明るい緑色です。そして、新芽は多くの場合二つの脇芽から伸びていることが多く、その基部のすぐ下で切るようにします（詳しくは動画をご覧ください）。

Pruning methods using secateurs and surface conditions
剪定ばさみによる剪定の方法と表面の状況

The length of the side facing the road is about 10 metres, it took the two of us half a day to complete the pruning. It took a fair bit of time and effort, but the result looks very natural and beautiful, and I’m delighted with it.

道路に面した一辺の長さは約10メートルあり、剪定に二人で半日かかりました。手間と時間はかかりましたが、見た目はとても自然で美しく、満足しています。