Welcome to my Japanese Garden. Lotsa pics.

[ZenLefty]

I thought I'd share some pics of the Japanese garden I made out back. Seems like I've been working on it forever. Lots of rock, lots of earth-moving, and lots of planting. Most of the plants were put in the ground 1-2 weeks ago, so they're not exactly filled in just yet. Give me a couple years to get everything going and it should take off well. Or it will all die and I have to start over.

This will never be a true Japanese garden. For one, I'm caucasian, and fail to grasp the subleties that the Japanese spend their entire lives studying. But also, the climate here is high plains desert, and I can't plant many of the things I would have liked to. Instead of fighting this element, I worked with it, arranging the sharp rocks and drought tolerant plants as harmoniously as I possibly could.



Much of the garden lies in shadow. One has to wander inside to see it all. A gargantuan spruce tree towers into the sky above. The splash of water can be heard from the basin ahead. At night, a stone lantern draws one forth...



The path is silvery quartzite. Moonlight reflects off it beautifully; sunlight brilliantly. An argent column leading one deeper inside.



Buddha happily welcomes travelers along the path, standing motionless among hostas, phlox and grasses.



The water basin is favored among birds, who frolic in the water when no one is near. For humans, there is a nice boulder upon which to sit and relax. But you can frolic in the water if you really want to.



The lantern sits atop a rock wall, seeming more like a lighthouse. It illuminates the path as it splits, through the gate in the back or a little meditative courtyard beyond. Among the rocks, and at their base, one can see the lamium, the cactus-like hens-and-chicks, flowering veronica, and the like. A tall rhododendron grows near the lantern like a huge tree.



At the base of the rock wall appears to be a river of small stones, and a shore of the same silvery quartzite. Mosses and other greens grow between the cracks. The courtyard is enclosed by a bamboo trellis, and will soon be enclosed by walls of wisteria and vine.



Another Buddha meditates in a hidden cave in the rock wall.



I could spend hours back there, just listening to the wind, or seeking out the little details. Or pulling weeds. Or spraying for bugs. You know how it goes, I'm sure.

Ask me anything.

[tridim]

1. I love it!

I've always wanted a koi pond, but I need a yard first.

[ZenLefty]

21. I'm too afraid to put koi out there just yet.

Maybe next year, when I get the hang of the whole outdoor water thing.

[newyawker99]

2. Wow Zen!! That is a beautiful garden!

:thumbsup: :bounce:

[ZenLefty]

22. Thank you.

I really love it. Worth all the effort.

[Zomby Woof]

3. very cool

A nice place to contemplate and restore your soul. :thumbsup:

Going to need to relearn gardening myself living in a similar high-altitude environment.

Best of luck!

[ZenLefty]

23. Learn to love Xeriscape

Fortunately, there are a lot of good plants that do well in xeriscape climate. It's when gardeners try to defy nature that they get into trouble.

We've had a lot of help from this resource:

http://www.highcountrygardens.com/

[CatWoman]

4. um, ZL

got any brothers? }(

[ZenLefty]

24. Nope.

After mom had me, she swore she would never forget birth control again. :o

[TroubleMan]

5. Totemo utsukushi desu!!

Anata wa jozu desu.

[ZenLefty]

25. Watashi wa shiroto desu

But thanks. Your compliment does me honor, even if it did make me dig out my old Japanese-English dictionary. :D

[asjr]

6. That garden is an exquisite labor of love.

I know it gives you much pleasure being there. Thanks for sharing it with us. I envy your garden.

[ZenLefty]

27. More labor than love

I think I have a permanent injury in my shoulder now, thanks to that granite piece in the fountain. It weighs about 400 pounds, and I found out the hard way I should not lift it by myself. :(

Well worth it, though. Well worth it.

[KG]

7. awesome.

[ZenLefty]

28. Thank you.

:D

[Hemprus]

8. Looks very peaceful.

Is it lit up at night? It seems like a good place to relax after a rough day. Thanks for the visuals!:hippie:

[ZenLefty]

29. The lantern lights up

There are solar lights along the path, too, but it really doesn't illuminate it very much.

What's nice is in the full moon, that quartzite flagstone just glows! It's like a path of moonbeams at your feet.

[flamingyouth]

9. Zen, that is so beautiful!!!

I'll be over tomorrow afternoon for tea. I'll be no trouble - promise!:D

[ZenLefty]

30. You're more than welcome.

I have a good collection of teas to choose from, though I suggest the green chai.

[zeemike]

10. Very nice

And as those plants grow it will get even better.

[ZenLefty]

31. This is a test of my Buddhist patience

I want those plants to grow right now, dammit!!! :o

[thestatusquo]

11. Just one word

for you: OOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!

[ZenLefty]

32. Mu.

:D

[GOPisEvil]

12. Wow!!! That's a nice job!

:thumbsup:

Very impressive.

[ZenLefty]

34. Thank you

Not even the unholiest of flame threads in GD can quell the serenity that comes from wandering around back there.

[Lithos]

13. Utsukushi desu

Very beautiful!

[ZenLefty]

35. Not bad for a gaijin, eh?

:D

[Lithos]

46. Not bad at all!

Very beautiful and contemplative...

:)

[TroubleMan]

14. oops wrong thread

nvm

[Don_G]

15. I'm Very Impressed

That garden is awesome!!!!

[ZenLefty]

36. Thank you

If that's my only accomplishment in life, I'm fine with that. :)

[yardwork]

16. It's beautiful!

I love the millstone fountain. Thank you for posting your photos here.

[ZenLefty]

37. I think the millstone hurt me

400 pounds of granite, and your idiot moderator here tried to lift it all by his dumb self. :dunce: Actually, that shoulder was giving me problems anyway even before I had to lift it.

[Nlighten1]

17. Stunning.

Very, very, very cool. I want one!

[ZenLefty]

38. Think of yourself in it

and it shall be so. :o

[ironflange]

18. I love your pathway!!!

That's exactly the type of thing I'm putting into my yard this summer. Please tell, how did you do it? What sort of base is under it, or is it sitting right on the dirt?

We are doing the yard from scratch. Two years into it nowand it's time to start on the walk. It's not a Japanese garden by any stretch, but we have taken hints from it, and also are trying to include elements of Feng Shui. It's a xeriscape garden, with no lawn except for a small patch (one roll) for the cats.

I see you live in Denver, rather similar to Calgary.

[tigereye]

19. wow great garden

looks very like a Japanese garden here in a local garden museum. Beautiful Buddhas and paths. Bet it is beautiful at night.

:yourock:

[ZenLefty]

39. Thank you

Not a lot of light at night. I can't figure out a way to illuminate it without making it look artificial. But I'm working on it.

[ZenLefty]

44. Glad you asked.

:D

I have a lot of experience now with flagstone pathways. I'll try to pass on some hints.

I was told to lay the flagstone atop a layer of sand, and I did this in my front yard. This works well with large pieces but if your design has pieces smaller than, say, 1 sq. foot, then sand won't work very well. So for this path, I used concrete.

I was lucky inasmuch as the color of concrete blended well with the silvery quartzite, so I didn't have to color it or stain it. But you can buy colorant for concrete so it matches your rock.

I first dug down about four inches into the soil, where the path would go. Then I put a layer of gravel (maybe an inch) on this, and hosed it down so it was good and wet. Then I used some redi-mix concrete on top of this. They sell a kind that you don't have to mix - you just put the powder down, wet it generously, and poof, it's hard as a rock. Before it hardened, I placed the stones. Place big stones first, alternating on each side of the path, and then place the smaller ones in the gaps. There are steps in my path towards the end as my yard goes downhill there, and they were a bit more complicated.

Once the flagstones were in place, I put more powdered concrete in the cracks between them, swept it carefully into the cracks with a broom, and then watered it with a hose. At this stage, you must make quick adjustments to ensure adequate drainage. If you notice water pooling, give it an escape route by making grooves in the concrete. You won't have the option of doing this in 20 minutes, as the concrete will set.

At the end of all this, I had a couple of loose stones still, which I had to dig up and set into place with a thin-set mortar. Kind of like laying tile, if you've ever done that before.

The only layout rule I followed is to avoid four point junctions (four lines coming together). Three is best.

....|....
....|....
----+----
....|....
....|....

Bad.

..|...|..
..|...|..
---------
....|....
....|....

Good.

[proud patriot]

20. Very peaceful

looks great ZenLefty

[ZenLefty]

40. Thanks.

:)

[FDRrocks]

26. That is really cool....

I especially like the statue, walkway and fountain. Very nice work.

[ZenLefty]

41. I tried to place everything in harmony

Did a lot of homework on this one. It doesn't look like the pics you find in a library, but I did put careful thought to where to place everything. Buddha goes someplace inconspicuous, and I thought the statue looked like he was greeting guests, so he went at the beginning of the walkway. The flagstone didn't set the way I wanted, but who am I to fool with mother nature?

[FDRrocks]

45. I'm not a landscaper

but I'm fairly sure youre stones will settle the way you want it over time. And I'm also sure your garden will progress nicely. Nice work, again. :)

[indigo32]

33. It's beautiful and peaceful

very very nice.

[ZenLefty]

42. Thanks!

A year ago, it was a desolate, bug-infested pile of dirt. Now it's a bug-infested Japanese garden. :o

[minkyboodle]

43. wonderful

I could use a place like that these days. I feel better just checking out the pics.

[VOX]

47. The artist has manipulated the raw material!

Terrific effort and very beautiful results, Zen Lefty!

Any problems putting in the pump for the watercourse? (Am thinking of doing something similar in my backyard.)

Well done! :toast:

[Commendatori]

48. Amazing!

I've wanted to start work on something similar, but am afraid to because of the cicadas and what damage they cause to lawns / gardens. Of course, what you've got would take me ages to achieve.

[VolcanoJen]

49. My dear friend Zen... that is absolutely Zen-Tastic!!

I think my favorite part, from the photos, is the lighthouse-seeming lantern area. Such a perfect spot for contemplation, and peace, and guidance.

I'm an amateur gardener myself... my mother is an absolute master; I yearn to understand her gift. You seem to have it... your garden is absolutely stunning. I envy people like you... but I enjoy it when people with beautiful gardens invite me over!

I wish you many years of tranquility there, my friend!!! Enjoy the fruits of your labor.

- Jennifer

[Crewleader]

50. Very nice Zen Lefty....

I am very happy I got to see this...great work and talent! :-)

I'm still working on my backyard...my goal,trying to make it like you're on vacation in the tropics...but it's all on hold...waiting on concrete...most all of the cement is going to China....it's been hard living with the dirt and all the pets going through it to keep anything clean. I am patiently waiting...

One of these days....:hi: