Inspiration, criticisms welcome

[morrination]

guys,

please send any thoughts or take any ideas from our little garden!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNRC_fOFxF8

JOhnny

[morrination]

ps koi are moved on as soon as they are too big. These guys go next summer

[Jando]

You have created quite a nice visual and audio haven in a very small space.  It is well thought out, I think, meeting many needs. I like that you have a view from your home and love the sound of your water feature.  I wondered about the Koi, so thanks for the anticipated answer.

 Thank you for sharing,
 Jando

[morrination]

Jando San,

Thanks for your comments; my wife has done well to keep the garden going while I am out on the final tour of duty in Afghanistan.

Claire and I have been to Kyoto in early spring, specifically to visit Tsubo-Niwa. We got really lucky as we not only went to a load of places I earmarked from Mizuno's books ..Small Places and Town Houses (think thats the names). Then it got crazy, we got invited to private Kimono makers and so on by chance. The Samurai Gardens down in Satsuma.

Fortunately Claire's father has a large Koi pond, so we have sent Koi that way already and when we have a family Inshalla we will try and emulate a large river/koi pond piece we saw in Rokashu Cafe, Kyoto to get our big guys back!

Ill try and send some of our holiday snaps FYI.

If you have any garden shots i'd love to see them, it will be good morale out here!

All the best and glad to have chatted!

Johnny

[Pete E.]

Very calming place.  Nice job.

I assume your beautiful cats are well behaved and possible vegetarian...

Is that Mondo grass you used to line the edge of the pond ?

[morrination]

Pete San,

Ezio and Tuli (The cats) are all good, Tuli had an embarrassing swimming disaster when she was younger and Ezio is very calm so they are quite content roming n their little jungle!

The grass i believe was Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens'. I got it so as to grow it over the sides to hide the ugly plastic tub!

We will move in 3 years or so and I hope to create a KOI river similar to Rokashu Cafe in Kyoto which another member is looking to emulate. Our old koi are with my Father in law till that day!

If you have any KOI shots/ pond shots i would be most keen to see them.

All the best,

Johnny

[K.T. Cannon-Eger]

Wonderful to see your efforts and to hear of the results of your trip to Japan. I recall your inquiries prior to your journey.
I have a few entries on koi on my blog -- I really should have more as there are some outstanding photos just waiting for me to have the time to post the story that goes with them!
But, meanwhile, here is a link to a few mentions in the U.S.:
http://us-japanesegardens.com/tag/koi/
Much aloha,
KT

[morrination]

KT,

The koi look mega and yes our trip to Japan was all we wanted and more. The style of Tsubo-Niwa was in abundance in Kyoto and I could certainly drum up a Tsubo-Niwa list of places to go for anyone who has this particular interest as there is no exact tour provided, well not for cheep!

All the best

JM

[Jando]

Johnny,  Anything to help with moral!!!

If you click on the world ball under the number of posts I have made, it will take you to a web site I made several years ago showing the building of our garden.  Unfortunately because I am not computer savvy I lost the ability to update it when we got a new computer. 

We will be putting a for sale sign out soon for our home and be moving to a condo. One nice thing is our realtor told us the pool area and garden would sell our home. 

I will miss my garden but hopefully the landscape around the condo will give me the amount of garden space I can maintain easily.  It will also offer a new garden to work in and create!  Sad...but looking forward to new opportunities in the future.  I now know how George felt when he moved and left his garden behind.

I have been thinking what plants I would like to move and of course this will be done next year before it is listed.  I think the arched bridge and lanterns will also be moving.  Sorry I got off track and perhaps I was even whining a bit!

Stay safe,
Jando

[don]

Jando, that has to be such a hard decision. I know how much heart you have in that garden.  Yet the place where you are moving sounds like it has nice spaces to create the type of intimate spaces the Japanese merchant homes often feature.  When you are ready, i have the name of a book for you that i use for inspiration on such spaces!

Unfortunately some animal has discovered my koi ponds and i have lost my two largest koi and the little black one named Anikin.  Either that or they achieved the legendary dragon status in the night and flew away!

d

[Jando]

Thanks Don,

I would love the name of that book. 
Bumber, I prefer to think your Kio are in flight.  Perhaps a baited live trap is in order just in case that is not so.

Jando

[Michaelinseattle]

Johnny,
Keep us posted about your progress.  I have been dreaming about Koi or even gold fish for a few years.  Hopefully I will get there and have some in my home garden too.  And I wish you peace and safety in the future. And high morale and for all.   

Don,
So sorry to hear of your koi loss.  I only had six little gold fish.  Losing them was difficult.  I was thinking more about incorporating a dragons gate in the front courtyard garden...  And digging deeper...   I would love the name of that book too.   You know me, making my list of list of  list of things to do.

Jando,
Your garden will continue to give joy to the world.  Thank you for sharing it.  Is there a way I can try to help you regain access to the website?  Perhaps I can do something to rehome it or something like that for you.  It would be an honor to try.

.... Michael in Seattle

[morrination]

Jando!

Thank you for the Globe-link! I gotta say I really like the garden! I love the stream and I reckon your move will be a new canvas to work your art.

The stream plan is something to look forward to on our next place!

The Granite has to go with you! I was thinking of holding on to ours as family heirlooms, so new generations can continue the garden. One such example of this was on our recent Japan trip where a Grandfather had done just that. They have a blog....this garden is beautiful and i would defo recommend a stay there if u can.

PS Thankyou Michael Morale has been great with the photos but also hooking up with your Navy Seals guys for volleyball when we've had down time!

JM

http://www.jptravel.net/2010/06/post_14.html