Ptarotuos's Profile

Hi All,

Depending on work and family commitments, I hope to post some photos and descriptions of our house in Hakone, Japan. I hope that some of the 'exotic' (though native) species that are growing naturally in our woodland garden will be of interest to some of you. Over the next few years I am aiming to create a woodland garden. We have about 1/2 an acre. Though I haven't yet counted, or even identified all of the trees (there must be well over 100 mature trees), I hope to post as an when I find out. There are some 80-year old Sawara Cypres, huge Momiji (mountain maple), and Buna (Japanese beech), different types of Prunus, a huge weeping Sakura (cherry), a normal flowering cherry, and dozens of trees I have no clue about...yet - many are specifically native to Hakone. We are going to thin some of the trees (sad, but some are too close to the house and might cause structural problems), but it is mainly a shady garden (though moist throughout most of the year - rich volcanic soil). I think rhododendrons and satsuki (azaleas) will feature heavily - many are native to Japan); they like acidic soil (we have pines too) and shady areas. My biggest challenge will be to lay paths that keep the woodland look but don't involve too much maintenance (for those of you who have never lived in Japan - the growth rate is phenomenal). Anyway, I'll post some pre-garden pictures soon if they are of interest to anyone, and then others steadily throughout the year. I am so much looking forward to seeing the maple leaves in autumn (now just upon us)! Best wishes, Peter