Journey through Seasons: Our Japanese Garden Transformation
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- čas přidán 4. 06. 2022
- Update on the progress of the garden and lawn.
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#abandonedhouserenovation #japan #renovation - Jak na to + styl
I probably should have commented on why I heavily pruned the camellia. It was suggested by a keen gardener Japanese friend of ours. She said that the pine tree should be the centre piece there and it would look more balanced if the camellia was shorter. (It was getting out of control a bit anyway). Originally, the camellia (and pine tree) would have been much smaller, carefully pruned and shaped (you can see the bend in the pine tree), as is typical in a more traditional Japanese garden.
Have turned overgrown weeds and bare soil into a beautiful lawn. It must be wonderful to sit and look at what your hard work has brought! Until next time, take care.
I love the finished look. The pine tree has a bonsai feel and the other looks so much more balanced. I would have been scared to cut that much off myself but it does look so much better
If you're pruning any pine trees put the needles round your azaleas to help acidify the soil 👍
Japanese wood houses always appear weathered on the outside, is there a reason the wood is not treated/sealed/varnished etc?
It was definitely the right choice :) it looks great side by side
I can't believe it's been 3yrs already sir, thank you for sharing your journey. You're one of my favorite channels on CZcams.
It's funny that I always find a way to talk about your channel in my conversation with family and close friends.
Wow, thank you! Appreciate it!
My wife never understood why I love maintaining our yard. But your before and after is exactly why I enjoy it. It's like creating a slow sculpture.
I love working in the yard, she often "mentions" how I spend a lot of time there.
@@TokyoLlama Haha same. Having a neighbor say my yard looks great makes it worth it.
I like your philosophy 😄
@@TokyoLlama Unless you can afford to pay a good gardener, you have to spend a lot of time in the garden. In the US, it was common for wealthy homeowners to have gardeners on staff. It’s a time consuming job.
Ahaha... I wouldnt have the energy to maintain such huge yard like his too, but I love watching the effort to renovate this land 🥰
An wiseman doesn't wait for heaven in other life, he/she makes his/her heaven now. Bravo sir .
I like that, thank you!
I never thought I would spend my evenings watching someone in Japan mow their lawn
I started watching from the beginning, when you were digging all the junk out that had been left behind. It's amazing to see the transformation in only 3 years. You and your family have put a lot of work into the place.
The house and garden look magical. That roof will always take my breath it is stunning
Hey mate
I’m from Canada and just moved to gunma prefecture, my wife is from here
We started looking at Akia’s and mostly from you motivating us , we love the traditional look but want to give it our own modern twist
I’ll be referring to some of older vids on the procedure of the process
It’s overwhelming a bit as there is a lot involved and so many akia to choose from
Thanks mate , been subscribed since the beginning
Hey, fellow Canadian in Japan here. There are quite a few ‘akiyas’ here where I live in Mie, too. I was really tempted to buy one and fix it up, but my wife (Japanese) didn’t like the idea, and convinced me that we should build a new place. (Finished! Just moved in last fall.) Overall, I’m happy with the decision, but sometimes when I watch Tokyo Llama videos I dream about what ‘might have been’.
@@Jordan-inJapan I know exactly what you mean , mines still not totally convinced, and new houses are so cheap compared to vancouver, my only issue is the low beams when transferring into rooms , think I’ve given myself a few concussions already , I just love the traditional style and you actually get a yard with older houses
@@dubiesinjapan
We built our house using traditional Japanese carpenter methods, but with a modern aesthetic. (High ceilings etc.) I’ve got some videos on my channel if you’re interested in the process.
And btw, I’m from North Vancouver myself, so I know what you mean about those land prices. 😆
@@Jordan-inJapan nice I’m gonna check it out , I’ll reach out and msg you on there , take it easy eh and I’ll talk to soon as I got few other questions bout adapting to life here
@@dubiesinjapan sounds good! I’ve been in this country quite a while now and I’m happy to share my experience. 🍻
I still can't believe its been 3 years!!!! Time is flying by and I still just love these videos! They make my day and they calm me so much! Thank you!
No worries! Thanks for watching.
"At some point, I'd like to keep a bee hive".
I actually said "Yes!" with joy at this comment. It's my dream to someday do the same.
The grass is looking great! I’m still trying to convince my husband to move to the countryside in Japan. We both live in a city in Korea. He’s Pakistani and I’m an American. Retirement dream!
If you do make the move there are plenty to choose from in the countryside!
Beautiful. Your attention to detail in your garden has really made them so lovely. The ground cover is gorgeous and added so much color. You have accomplished so much since started the home renovation. Thank you I have really enjoyed watching all that you have done for your family.
No worries, thanks for watching!
I think the only thing missing is a water feature to just put the icing on the cake. Relaxation personified. Great content as always
It is one of my most pleasant fantasies of owning an older Japanese home! Since I left in 92, I dream of returning to stay for the rest of my life. Finding a place like yours is ideal, but the workshops will have to stay, got to tinker and repair!
Definitely needed to keep at least one workshop!
@@TokyoLlama I'm a carpenter, western style carpenter that is learning Japanese carpentry. I also get into a lot of other things like motor mechanics, because I have an 18 year old car! Haven't sent a car to the garage since 1989!
Same here. (It is highly unlikely I'd ever be able to go toJapan, though.) Would be great to see your videos if you decide to start a channel.
Note to self: Turn things on before trying to start them.
It looks great though! And like a lot of work as well. But I suppose you need something else to keep busy since the house is finished 😁👍
You don't get that kind of advice on all CZcams channels. 😁
😂😂
When you use the fork aerator, try to drive it into the ground by standing on it with all your weight rather than kicking it, it feels a bit unnatural and slow but it will feel better after a while.
Repeated hard kicks like these risk hurting your tendons and your articulations, if you can, try to avoid them
This garden is crazy nice, so many different things that are all well done !
I'll try that next time. Might not have the patience though! Thank you.
お疲れ様でした！You’ve done a beautiful job with that space. Obviously it will be a lot of work to keep it looking so good, but the result is clearly worth it! My own ‘new garden situation’ is unexpectedly interesting. We had initially not planned on doing much beyond putting in a little tree in our front yard (done!) but then my wife’s parents, who live basically next door, suddenly started to have old-age related health issues, and I’ve (mostly against my will) inherited a decent sized garden to take care of and harvest, etc. spent the day today picking ‘ume’ (Japanese plumbs) and making juice and of course ‘ume-shu’. Needless to say, weekends have just gotten busier. 😅
Nice! A garden takes up a lot of time for sure.
I put in micro irrigation around most of my shrubs…..I makes a massive difference to only water at the base for about 1 minute per day. It also saves a ton of water over the traditional type of spray irrigation.
I should probably do something similar, if only for summer.
1. Double the size of that garden. 2. Make time. 3. Your children will benefit most. Having food growing in the yard has manifold benefits. Besides picking/preparing/eating the food, a garden grown under their hand and care instils calmness and connection to the land, your home, and their family. 4. Plant more fruit trees. 5. You are quite the gardener, you need to switch gear and research edible plants, both flowering and non flowering to gradually replace some of the ornamentals.
The time spent caring for plants purely to look at is wasteful of the potential to reap spices, garnishes, and food to eat.
Had not seen your vids all the way back to tearing all the stuff in the big flower bed due to stroke, so glad to see you all thriving!
I watch your journey of renovating that house, i witness how you transform that house into a home again. It also became my stress reliever watching your video. 💓
Nice! Glad to hear it.
❤❤❤❤❤ This is a dream house for many people, it's wonderful, congratulations!
Wowza. Never realized I've been invested in a property for 4 years now. Thanks for recording and showing these to us.
No worries, thanks for watching all this time!
I love Japanese gardens, but I imagined that they took a lot of care and attention. My father was a landscape gardener, but a Japaese gardener's job is on a completely different level.
Yes, the carefully manicured one is probably too much work, but I'll make a small one later.
Your lawn and flower beds look beautiful. We all remember the uneven weedy mud pit with which you started! Growing from cuttings is a very good way to go, less expense too.
Yes, definitely cheaper, and quite satisfying!
For plants that need acidic soil I recommend to plant them in a big pot with only bark mulch. then if you wich, you can then bury the pot into the soil. We made it with blueberries and it's wonderful see how they grow.
And for the bee hive, be aware that from the moment you have one, all the wild bees will be gone. I would rather recommend to install so called "bee hotel". It is amazing how many different wild bee types there are. It requires no work, only native plants. It's a joy to observe them and, as a side effect, they are much less agressive than the yellow-black ones.
That's a neat idea, I might try that with my blueberries too! I'll look further into that bee hotel idea - thank you!
wow wow wow. The garden is starting to be a fitting companion for that beautifully handcrafted house! Congratulations to you and your wife. Absolutely right to make the twisted pine the star of the show. Ps ...couldn't you Mcguiver a soil-aerating machine....a bit like an old fashioned roller blade grass cutter....but with spikes?
I've thought about converting my roller into an aerator, maybe I should give it a proper try, thanks!
@@TokyoLlama No...thank you!
So beautiful, I loved it almost as much as the snowy winter video ❤ your wife's strawberries looked so good 🙂 thanks again for sharing, I enjoyed this video from beginning to end 😀
Thanks very much, happy to hear that!
Three years?! Oh man, the time has flown. Like many here I've also been here since the beginning and it's been a privilege to follow your journey with this house.
An idea for you... I just saw a video by Dogen, the American youtuber in Japan who has built a brand new property. It would be cool to see a collaboration showing the difference in processes between a new build and a renovation. All the limitations, advantages etc. I feel like your personalities would complement, too. 😁
Behind Every beautiful house are hard working people. It doesn’t come easily.
Thyme can be a great soft and lovely smelling (plus edible) groundcover. Ive seen in between pavers and between concrete (or stone) and grass to stop the need for a whipper snipper and you can just use a mower since you dont need to trim the thyme and get in those nooks and crannies. Something to think about in areas where phlox may not work like cracks in concrete or under the deck areas etc.
Thanks, I do like thyme and have some planted in some spots but good idea to add some to borders.
3 years of hard work, still remember the well, 2 cars and a bunch of tvs inside but everything worth at the end
Yes, definitely!
The time has gone so fast. I remember when you first bought the house. All the dedication and work you've done over all these years has truly paid off. You've breathed life and joy back into this beautiful home :) 😍😃😍
This vid makes me miss tree pruning. Its sounds like a chore but there is a relationship that develops with the trees and they respond with increased growth, density, and fullness as if the appreciated hair cut or growth correction.
Deep inside of me , I always want to buy a traditional Japanese house, I’m Chinese and living in Europe, don’t feel like I belongs to here, your house and garten is like a dream ❤ when I first found your channel I already know that I finally found what I need for so long time 😊
Your backyard is quite big. I could see a pond fitting in nicely. 🙂🌅
You took the beautiful garden wall down! Now you have a great view of your neighbors
all your videos are showing up here again, such a beautiful home now, it's a real joy and pleasure to see all you and your wife have
accomplished
Thanks very much, glad to see you back.
It's so amazing to see how far the yard has come. It doesn't feel like I have been watching this channel for so long!
I know, time has flown!
Yeah, you trimmed those side yard trees...very, very, very nice...now, they look 'right' - considering the handsome home you have behind them. Well done!
A labor of love. It's really come together. I have so much respect for you and your family for going on this journey together!! It's a beautiful passion project!
Thank you!
Love the orchids! The variety and choices if flowering shrubs is wonderful. Your garden is beautiful
Thanks very much!
I appreciate the cloud pruning of the camellia. Going forward, prune after flowering. If you wait several months to do that you have possibly eliminated any buds they have already set for the next year's flowering. I'm so excited that you're creeping phlox cuttings are doing so well! I have always wondered about the property at the back/side of your property and what its' future might be for you all..
Hopefully I've left some buds there, as it's a prolific flowerer. I'm hoping to use some of the vacant land to do raised beds at some point.
This overwhelming task of making this place liveable for all of you has been such a pleasure to watch and learn about Japan.
Your garden has come together amazingly well. Your little castle in its own paradise. Great work, brother - always love your videos when you put them out!
Thanks a lot!
Its all looking so beautiful! Pruning the azalea really brought out the showpiece factor.
I, too, have been here since the beginning and eagerly await each episode. It’s been a phenomenal amount of work and I’m sure it’s been expensive, but your place must show the value of restoring these historic properties to others. Hard to believe the lawn has been in three years already, I remember watching you level the yard and sow the grass…WOW! Keep the updates coming!
Thanks for watching all this time! More updates soon!
came for the house , stayed for the the garden :)
amazing work
I love your updates, especially this garden one. It’s very calming and your garden has become beautiful. I can’t wait to see once you have more of your garden covered in the lovely purple flowers.
Thank you!
Beautiful! Have neighbors and townspeople stopped by to appreciate how you’ve rescued this property?
Yes, we get some people - usually acquaintances of my mother-in-law visiting, plus people have a look on their walks along the road behind the house.
The garden looks beautiful, it makes me conflict to see different types of flowers together, but it looks really beautiful.
Thanks, I like English borders with the mixture of flowers.
Everything looks lovely! Your hard work is showing wonderfully. I remember the video of when the neighbors brought the tree and now look at it!
It's growing very nicely!
I see so many similarities in plants to my garden here in Minnesota! Definitely adding some of the phlox upcoming. Thank you for the inspiration!
No worries!
I loved the look you gave us of your garden. I've been following since the beginning, and the garden has been something I've been keen on seeing more of, especially since it's always changing with the seasons. As someone living in an apartment with only a few plants on a fire escape, looking into other people's gardens with a smile and a sigh is the best I can hope for. Thank you for sharing yours.
No worries, thanks for watching!
So much sweat and tears, and it's beautiful! I bet your neighbors just love what you've done and thank you for it! 😍😍😍
3 years really have flown by! thank you for sharing your knowledge, learnings and taking the effort to film it all. it's so lovely to see! i've grown to appreciate the outdoors and plants throughout the pandemic and i'm proud to be able to name most of these plants haha
No worries, thanks for watching! I also have an even stronger appreciation for outdoor space since the pandemic.
@@TokyoLlama definitely a universal thing as all my friends have picked up plant caring over the pandemic!
It's all coming along nicely 👍. You've done an awesome job with the house and the garden, love the update videos!
Thank you!
So much progress made with the lawn and gardens, beautiful. When I see all the before pictures, I imagine you being relieved you're past all those demanding steps.
Your dedication and hard work is one in a million. It's always a joy to see the progress you've been making!
Thanks a lot!
Excellent work in the garden. And you are now seeing some of the fruits of your labors, with more to come.
I think the smartest thing for anyone's garden is patience. It's hard for some to wait for root establishment of something that will benefit your yard for years to come. You have done a great job in your garden.
Very true, I do start some plants from seed but sometimes can't wait and buy from the home centre.
Beautiful house.
I remember watching your videos just when you bought the house.
Amazing how it turned out.
You've done a fantastic job in just 3 years. Garden work is a very slow job especially one
as big as yours and you're the only one working on it.
But it'll rewards you with all those beautiful flowers year after year. I found it was the best
therapy sessions for me.
Anyway cheers from expat Japanese in US who view your channel occasionally and appreciate your concept and esthetics.
Thanks very much, yes, I find it relaxing to work in the garden though it can take up a lot of time from doing other things I should be doing...
Just wow! The improvement is outstanding
I have those same spirea in my yard in western pa. That's amazing to me. Those hydrangeas are gorgeous! Everything you have done with the garden is incredible. I did not know what it looked like in 2019, so your progress is inspiring.
Thank you! It's a beautiful plant when fully blooming.
Thought you’d gone a bit crazy and pruned the Camellia too much , but your friend was right the pine is absolutely beautiful and the bed looks so much better 🙏🏼
Yes, she was definitely right!
I am most of the time rather a silent subscriber enjoying the videos, but today I wanna just let you know, that you're videos really calm me down, I find them really interesting and also relaxing to watch :)
Great job!
Wow, thank you!
What a beautiful place to be with your family, you're house will end up being a treasure!
Your channel and your property has come a long way I can't believe it's been 3 years since you started the journey! Thanks as always!
No worries, thanks for watching!
It's so impressive how the Gardens have come! I look forward to seeing how the Moss takes over. We've been considering it here in Seattle to replace our grassy area we don't go on much. It seems like we have similar climates.
I think it's a great option, keeps its colour pretty well in winter, and of course stunning when flowering en masse.
im speechless,what an wonderful transformation.i can see how much you love your family put in this masterpiece. im so happy for your family.much love from Cambodia.
Thank you so much!
I've followed your journey since its inception and what you have achieved is nothing less than remarkable.
Kudos and best wishes to you and your family.
Thank you!
When it comes to ground cover, those years fly by! I live in the United States where our landscaping has a lot of sharp lines and planes, with less flow commonly seen in English gardens. It only takes a few years for the ground cover to give an overgrown effect. Feel free to plant bulbs under it to give it texture and color when it's not in bloom, and still look out for weeds that grow close to the ground. I always look forward to your garden videos and can't wait to see all the hard work you do come to life!
That’s great to know that you can plant bulbs underneath the ground cover - I was wondering if they would come up since it does such a great job against the weeds. Thanks!
Your skills and work always amaze me. There isn’t anything that you put your hand to that doesn’t turn out. Well done!
Thanks, there are plenty of things I'm not good at!
at 10:25 you can see a small frog.
I love watching the progress, keep it up.
Wow! Well spotted. We have lots of these little frogs around the garden.
In the sides where you cut long grass, you can buy flower mix seeds and plant it there. There will bloom ocean of flowers from spring to late autumn and you don't need to trim it.
Beautiful, just beautiful. I agree that you should probably get some bees. I am still waiting to see the addition of the peacocks. All your hard work is showing up. Thank you for sharing.
What a beautiful garden and yard you have done. You're very inspiring.
Thank you so much!
In some ways, the garden/lawn is harder to dial-in than the rest of a renovation. Whereas the house informs you what needs doing, the lawn is more guided by regional culture, personality and taste. For instance, what looks great alongside a Victorian heap, looks completely wrong alongside a mid-century rancher. I have never had the knack for gardening, but you, Sir, seem to have some skill and good guidance. What you have achieved so far with the garden is almost more impressive than what you have accomplished with the house. Especially when you consider the amount of demolition and hauling-off you needed to do to get to where you had a sizable garden. Well done, Sir, well done.
Thanks very much! You're very right, the garden does depend a lot of different factors.
How beautiful!
Take a tip from the California strawberry growers. Cover your bed with black plastic, then cut slits wherever you plant the young plants. Keeps the ripening strawberries off the soil. You may consider adding drip irrigation for the berry plants. Thanks for the video. Jon
Thanks Jon, good idea, will give that a go.
I'm just in awe of all the work you've done to that home. It's radiant with life again!
wow what a long way your home has come! ive been following since the very 1st episode! 3 years already! blessings for many more!
I have watched everyone of your episodes. What you have done and what you are doing is simply excellent !
Thank so much!
What a transformation!
Your garden looks amazing.
A few years ago I started getting into maintaining my own garden and lawn. I made a list of all the plants I already had and what their growing requirements was (because I got tired of looking it up again and again on the internet) and I was suprised at how many of my plants were actually native to Japan. It turns out the climate for your area is remarkably similar to mine in New York, pretty much everything you pointed out will also grow here. I have hosta, rhododendron, a red maple, wisteria, japanese ferns, japanese barberry, hydrangea and a weeping cherry tree. Hostas in particular are great because you cant kill them, and if you want more, just split them.
If you want more pollinators, see if you can find some hyssop and sedum, the bees and moths love it, and it blooms in fall when they're gathering up the food they need to get through winter and there isnt much else blooming.
Good idea re the list. I find myself googling the same plants over and over to check what I need to do with them. I have got a little hyssop, but the sedum I planted last year died in the rainy season.
@@TokyoLlama aw, sedum are usually so hardy. They do like dry conditions though, I would consider planting them in pots with a succulent mixture of mostly sand and pearlite, or siting them in a high point in the yard, so that the rain water will run off from them. Hyssop is great, but the bees love it, it's important to keep that in mind when you chose a site for it.
@@Lv-nq9qz thanks, I'll give that a try, maybe if they're better established they'll hold up better too.
@@TokyoLlama i'd say so, they only take about a year to become well established
I love everything you've done over the three years.... I think it's finally time to suck it up and replace the awning on your work shed; it's the only big eye sore left in the back yard. Great work as always!
Thanks. Yes, hopefully the next project, I can't stand the awning.
Wonderful to see the progress in the home and garden. You've done such a good job restoring everything, and bringing new life back into what was just a worn out and overgrown dumping ground outside. Beautiful trees and plants! And a lovely big grassy play area for the kids.
Excellent job !
Garden looks lovely! Also, I'm that neighbour who buys the plants and all my neighbours around me, ask to take cuttings 😂
Ha ha, you are a good neighbour to have!
yey finally garden update
Well done!!
Coming along very nicely.
Just amazingly beautiful.
It's looking so nice.
nice to see the fox gloves in your garden -- they grow wild here (west coast canada) and i love them.
I only discovered you within the last 6 months or so, so am not ( did you ever share?) informed as to why you moved to Japan in the first place, how deep or mysterious your initial affinity? All I can see now is a thoughtful host, lovely family, and an extraordinary home. I have a very deep and mysterious affinity for Japanese aesthetics, and so can completely appreciate the respect and nourishment you are gleaning from, and living in your particular homestead. A remarkable place that I hope your children will continue to honor and cherish as they mature, and perhaps, one day, to inherit. What an interesting legacy you have created. Thank you for sharing your ancient and beautiful place with us. Much joy to all of you. Until next-
No worries, thank you! I have been interested in Japan since studying Japanese at high school in Australia, then while doing a working holiday in Tokyo met my wife. We moved back to Japan a few years ago so the kids could experience living her and to be closer to my wife's mother.
Me, “oooo😮” I want that black & Decker saw thingy.
What a great house !!!
You got SO much done and I can't believe how three years flew by. Great job!
Thank you!
I’m so pleased to see you do this work!