Hi there.
The weather has become more like early summer than spring. The look of the sky hasn’t been good these days. Those of us who work outside are always busy being sensitive to the mood of the weather, either worrying about the possibility of rain or feeling relieved when the weather clears up. On the other hand, plants seem to spend their time more slowly and peacefully than we do. Perhaps, we need to take some time to watch plants as they wave in the breeze.
A Garden That Grows with Us
The site we’ve been working on is a courtyard surrounded by the house. The garden can be seen from all angles, so we designed and constructed it to be a relaxing space for the family.
In the center of the garden, a deck made of natural stone is surrounded by Engawa (wooden porch) with the kikko-naguri process (the distinct wave pattern creating a unique appearance). While considering the overall balance, the materials, such as granite hewn stone and Aji stone water bowl, were carefully chosen. We designed the garden so that it would look good from any room in the house, and so that each window would have its fascinating view of the landscape.
This Aji stone water bowl has a presence and depth not found in ready-made water bowls. You can enjoy how the texture of the material changes over the years. As the trees grow, the sunlight shines through the leaves of the trees gently and pleasantly. To create a good garden, we need to imagine what the garden will look like in a few years.
The engawa was beautifully finished by a carpenter who regularly helps us. The cut edges were beautifully aligned, which made me feel pleasant. All elements of the garden, such as the dappled sunlight through trees onto the natural stone decking and granite stone, swaying leaves shadow, create a comfortable outdoor space.
The client would like the concept of this garden, which is “A garden that grows with us,” since they love old and aged things. As the client enjoys spending more time with the garden, the plants and materials will be better with age, creating depth in the garden. The garden is almost finished. We will stay focused until the end to deliver the best finished garden.