Sore Feet

Nothing like trekking around a garden show to get worn out!

There was a queue for tickets of course but organised so slipped in quickly.
I decide to see everything would be impossible so I went looking for ideas for the courtyard garden.(Aireys can wait)

an espaliered camellia. Bridie would like this!

Attended a good talk about espaliered trees which would work well to cover the fence we have.
There were also lots of garden art to inspire, and all on a lovely sunny day !

lots of birds and birdhouses

I want to use the succulents and stone near the water tanks

Succulents in the top of tall pots look good 

using bamboo canes in a fan shape 

these are garden edges. I like the industrial look

A crowd at the hanging Basket competition. Couldn't see John and gwen's

The beautiful exhibition building 

Gaultier!  eat your heart out!

The rose is a dense petaled one. Didn't seem to have a scent.

My lunch spot

Love the bird bath

a quirky grass display

An idea for my succulents!  I have plenty of stones!

A variation on Massed planting. Could try this on the fence

Change

The new place is perfect, but need to make a few changes!!
The garden bed is a tree, roses, pencil pines and stones.

 While it looks fine I want to plant the new plants we were given at the house warming and also  to develop a bit of  a herb and vege  garden.
The garden fork only goes in about 3cm.
Also I want the plants in the ground while I am away for better survival. The bed gets good sun and catches any rain.
So I rang my gardener Luke (didn't think I'd need him here) and he and the lads did the work that would have got me to the chiropractor.

Moved the pots out of the way (the rose bush is planted in a pot Annemarie!)

It needed shovels not just the rakes

The Pencil pines gone 

The soil dug over OK and has a lot of worms!

I am going to have the stones form a dry garden area

The Hydrangea safely in the ground with some stone mulch
(that's not a weed it's the cyclamen bulb )

Happo-En

I walked up to sit in this lovely garden at the end of my street. It is unusual in that it is a 'private ' garden but there is no charge to enter.

The name means beautiful from any angle, though how you get all that in one word!

Happo-en Garden was originally built in the year 1600 by Hikozaemon Okubo, an adviser to the shogunate. He built the Japanese-style garden with his residence in the middle of it. The house is built in the style of a traditional Japanese tea ceremony house.

One path is lined with 100 year+ old bonsai trees one of which is 500 years old pine tree.(pictured here)

Most of the trees include cherries, maples, and azaleas which cover the slopes, making it an ideal place to visit in both the autumn and spring. The garden also has a beautiful pond with a lovely arbor built out on the edge of the water. The stone lantern below is said to be 400 years old.

A sign at the pond says.

'"with refreshing coolness rising up from the surface of the water to soothe the skin, the arbor is an ideal venue for relaxing and enjoying the beauty"

I couldn't say it better!

Gardens Japanese style

I decided to spend some time in a garden today resting in the shade. So I headed for Kiyosumi garden west of Tokyo station, in an area bounded by three rivers. I set out with the essentials; water, fan, cloth for wiping off sweat or draping damp on my neck and my umbrella-more comfortable that a hat, and very Japanese! though I have just a folding yellow one not a proper parasol.

Thus equipped I bought some take away salads at the corner shop and walked into the garden. Kiyosumi garden is an Edo style stroll garden. This links with the Kyu Iwasaki garden as the same man Iwasaki Yataro bought it for the enjoyment of his employees. Though I don't imagine the factory staff got to come here, more the firm's executives! Originally water was drawn for the Sumida river but now it is from rainfall; wouldn't last long in Melbourne! This is one of three gardens bought when they were in a state of disrepair after the fall of the Tokugawa shogunate, and Iwasaki spared no efforts to restore these former daimyo gardens back almost to their former glory.
I had my lunch in a little arbor on an island connected by an arched bridge. There was an occasional breeze to ease the heat and a few people had gathered there. The lake is full of big fat carp as well as optimistic tortoises. But if they were not quick, (the tortoises; an oxymoron there?) food left for them, was quickly grabbed up by the crows.
It is called a stroll garden , because there are paths to stroll! as well as changes in the view at each turn of the path. There is a wonderful path of huge stepping stones, along the edge of the Lake (with life-belts handy!) Kids were in their element here!
In summer at the moment the flowers here are Crepe Myrtle but not many in flower.