MrNorth
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Joined: Sun May 08, 2005 1:50 pm

Design suggestion

At one spot in my garden, I have absolutely nothing (except a lovely evening sun).

There for I decided to make it a nice area (with a japanese touch)where I can sit and relax and enjoy the sunset. I made this sketch (and added some plants from your garden hehe)

[img]https://www.odla.nu/album/data/mrnorth/full_1431_p32121.jpg[/img]

The plan is that this small deck will connect to the big deck on the back around the corner. And the stepping stones will continue around the left edge of the house... and NOT invite the spectators to this place...


Please let me know if its anywhere near proper, or just plain junk. I can add more plants, bamboo screen to seclude it further.


/Henrik

Newt
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Location: Maryland zone 7

Hi Henrik,

The side of the house looks like the side of a barn to me and dwarfs everything. Could you attach a trellis and plant a vine on it? You could plant the vine at the edge of the deck to grow up a very simple trellis. Take a look at this one.
https://www.signaturelandscapes.com/images/rh%20japanese%20garden%20entrance%20stone%20path.jpg

I would also fill in the ground between the stepping stones and the side of the house with plants so the curve of the stepping stones becomes more noticable.
https://www.signaturelandscapes.com/images/rh%20japanese%20garden%20entrance%20statue.jpg

Or you could use gravel and just a few plants like this.
https://www.gardenpicture.co.uk/respages/previewAF.asp?Trans_No=1317414&Imagecat=&Subject=&Category=&txtKeyword=Japanese&pages=1&images=48

See how the plant material around this deck makes it feel like it's snuggled into the landscape? I'd like to see the bed on the long side of the deck deeper with more large plant material so it's more secluded. Not too tall with the plant material so you can see the sunset.
https://www.gardenpicture.co.uk/respages/previewAF.asp?Trans_No=1315921&Imagecat=&Subject=&Category=&txtKeyword=Japanese&pages=2&images=48

View from inside.
https://www.gardenpicture.co.uk/respages/previewAF.asp?Trans_No=1314498&Imagecat=&Subject=&Category=&txtKeyword=Japanese&pages=2&images=48

Maybe you could surround the lantern with greenery so it looks like it's peeking out from the shrubs when you're on the deck.
https://www.gardenpicture.co.uk/respages/previewAF.asp?Trans_No=1301339&Imagecat=&Subject=&Category=&txtKeyword=Japanese&pages=2&images=48

Maybe use a trellis with a flowering vine in the garden area to screen off the deck instead of the bamboo screen on the deck. Here's a bamboo style fence that could be made larger and a vine planted to grow up it.
https://www.gardenpicture.co.uk/respages/previewAF.asp?Trans_No=1262021&Imagecat=&Subject=&Category=&txtKeyword=Japanese&pages=4&images=48

What do you think of my ideas?
Newt

The Helpful Gardener
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Newt addresses a couple of key points; most specifically the barn itself. I'm a fan of Gunther Nietschke's work, and he proposes that Japanese gardening is ALL about the relationship of architecture to nature; this is ALL architecture and very little nature. While there are verandas, fishing pavilions and teahouses, even arbors associated with Jgardens, I have never seen a deck, and even if that did follow it still is too dominant in the landscape...most of Newt's cures help address that very issue and I can't find fault with any of it...(as usual :D )

Scott

MrNorth
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Posts: 76
Joined: Sun May 08, 2005 1:50 pm

Here here!

I agree also, this was just something I made as an early sketch. I will without a doubt address these issues.

The problem with adding plants that will climb the wall is that it is a pain to maintain the wall... But definetly something to soften up the wall!

And you are right, I wanted to use japanese inspired ideas to make the entire scene as natural as it can be, it is never intended to be "perfect".

Btw Mr Miyagi in karate kid does have lots of decks!! I remembed that since daniel was forced to work with tehm to learn karate, as well as painting the wall, and waxing the cars... lol.

But the trick as you mention it is to make it look like an integrated part of the landscape... I feel my site is rather difficult.

Thanks
Henrik - who begun working on the deck today

Newt
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Posts: 1868
Joined: Tue May 25, 2004 10:44 pm
Location: Maryland zone 7

How about a trellis that you can fold down from the wall with the vines on it so you can do maintenance on the wall? Sound interesting? Stakes are sunken into the ground, hinges are used to attach the trellis to the stakes and the trellis is attached at the top with hooks. It's called a hinged trellis. You can make the trellis any design you like.
https://www.michaelholigan.com/Departments/TVShow/seg_index.asp?ts%5Fid=5745

Newt

MrNorth
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Posts: 76
Joined: Sun May 08, 2005 1:50 pm

Hi!!

Here is a wip of the deck, which I completed today

[img]https://www.odla.nu/album/data/mrnorth/full_1431_p32320.jpg[/img]

Newt... all your ideas are great. I have read them a few times now and they make more sense each time :)

I really liked that trellis on your pic, is that of japanese design? It looks very different from those you can buy in sweden and that exist on almost every house in my neighborhood. Ahh I wish I knew more about japanese architecture and design, it would really help me to find the right forms for the tings I make. :roll:

The screen I added on the pic is very temporary... Actually I very unsure about what to do for screening here in this corner.

And I will definetly add plants... but they don't come cheap. And I'm still a bit concerned about the selection of plants... as you can see it is a lot of sun here. But I still want to use "japanese"-inspired plants.

/henrik

The Helpful Gardener
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Try the Gunther Nietschke book as it is one of the best overviews of the art I know and readily avaiolable in Europe to my understanding. While I did study with a mentor, I have gained a great deal of my knowledge on the subject from books

[url]https://www.helpfulgardener.com/japanese/2003/design-tips.html[/url]

Here's a link to a list of my favorites...

Scott

MrNorth
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Posts: 76
Joined: Sun May 08, 2005 1:50 pm

Now I have finally managed to obtain a maple, of reasonable size. Assuming it survives the transplant, I added it to the scene as follows

[img]https://www.odla.nu/album/data/mrnorth/full_1431_p33176.jpg[/img]


[img]https://www.odla.nu/album/data/mrnorth/1431_p33177.jpg[/img]


Now when I study the scene, I get a feeling I may have rushed things a bit. Perhaps I should have added the tree here instead:

[img]https://www.odla.nu/album/data/mrnorth/full_1431_p33179.jpg[/img]
Then it would not protected from unwanted views, but rather from the harsh sun.

It was harder than I thought to select a place for that darned tree. I kept moving it for about 40 minutes before I fianlly decided on that location... And now I'm not happy with it, lol!!!

Any suggestions are appreciated!!!! I'm in need of a helpful gardener :oops: :oops:

/henrik

The Helpful Gardener
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All gardens are portable, Henrik! :lol:

I just this past fall moved a 3m x3m rhododendron that the previous owners had planted decades before, and it's doing famously, so I think you have a year or two before that maple gets too big to rethink...

Scott

Newt
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Location: Maryland zone 7

Hi Henrik,

Sorry I didn't answer you before now, but I've been trying to catch up on so many chores that haven't been done since I got sick. I have managed to spend a couple of the mornings in the front garden doing some much needed weeding. It's been so very hot here that I come inside and just rest.

You had asked if the trellis design that I sent to you was a Japanese one. I don't think it is. It seems to me that when I see pictures of Japanese ones they are square openings, not diamond shaped.

I was looking at your maple that you planted and I agree with Scott. I'm concerned it's too close to the deck, and possibly the side of the house. It doesn't look like a dwarf to me. Do you know the variety it is? How close is that planted? How tall and wide will it get? I don't know how tall it will get, but once it grows up, I suspect that all the privacy will be lost at ground level to about a meter or more, as it will just be the trunk of the tree with all the leaves at the top. You may need some larger shrubs later on. You could move them further out and enlarge that area. Just something to think about.

If you are going to move the tree, I'd do it now before the roots start to grow into the soil. I also see a very low branch. Is this a grafted tree? Is that limb growing from the below the graft if there is a graft? You might want to prune that off.

You seemed concerned about your maple surviving the transplant. Here's some sites that explain how to plant, check that the rootflare isn't buried (I can't tell from the picture), watering, pruning and mulching that might be helpful.

https://www.ext.nodak.edu/extpubs/plantsci/trees/f1147w.htm
https://seattlepi.nwsource.com/nwgardens/218130_wingate31.html
https://www.mdvaden.com/advice-landscape.shtml#wateringsuggestions
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MG089
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/WO017
https://www.tlcfortrees.info/planting%20depth.htm
https://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/mulching.asp
https://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/howtos/ht_prune/prun001.htm

Those are all US sites, so if you need a converter for measurements, just let me know.

Newt

The Helpful Gardener
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Thanks Newt!

Hope you are getting better; sounds like it if you are getting out into the garden... :D

Scott

Newt
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Posts: 1868
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Location: Maryland zone 7

Hi Scott,

Thanks for the good wishes. I'm getting stronger, it's just taking so very long. Patience is the word I live with now.

Hugs,
Newt

The Helpful Gardener
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Posts: 7491
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Then I will be patient with you...

Hugs back...

Scott

MrNorth
Cool Member
Posts: 76
Joined: Sun May 08, 2005 1:50 pm

Hiya!

I ahve been away for a trip (not far) but I managed to visit a small japanese garden, boy it was lovely... I will post some pics I took later on ;) They're still in the cam.

Thanks for all the information about the tree. It is moved now into a new location, and I have added an extra screen (I had two in store).

Do you think the deck and the carpenting is complete? What else can I add? If you noticed, I have a rail surrounding the "old" deck... should it continue all the way? Here are two pics:

[img]https://www.odla.nu/album/data/mrnorth/full_1431_p33077.jpg[/img]

[img]https://www.odla.nu/album/data/mrnorth/1431_p33206.jpg[/img]

Also, I think there is something missing, that connects the deck with the rest of the garden. There should be one or more natural places to access the deck from the garden, and I'm not sure what kind of design that would be appropriate. I thought about building some kind of ramp, or just adding a flat stone...

I think the deck is too naked... that it lacks framing. But sadly I cant afford adding plants of varying forms all around it.. :(


thanks for any suggestions!

/Henrik

The Helpful Gardener
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Posts: 7491
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 9:17 pm
Location: Colchester, CT

Henrik, you should really get that Nietscke book as he is very studied on the relation of garden to architecture, and I suspect some of the things he has to say might be of great help...

AAlso looking at some pictures of transitions from veranda to garden might spark the muse (a very common tradition there...)

Scott

The Helpful Gardener
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Posts: 7491
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 9:17 pm
Location: Colchester, CT

Been a while Henrik, how are the gardens lookinng with snow? Planning for spring?

Scott



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