We are accidental gardeners. This house came with a lot of empty land, and to beautify it we got pulled into gardening before we realized. From knowing almost nil about plants and gardening, we've grown to enjoy the thrill of selecting and planting these plants and see them thrive and grow with us. Our house sits right in the middle of the lot, so we're surrounded on all sides with a varieties of garden rooms:
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. A cafe house complete with a koi pond, whose photo adorns our website
Update (2009): last year we increased the size of the big pond out back, then this year we moved all the kois out there. The koi pond we covered up and converted it into an outdoor sitting area.
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. A pond garden, complete with waterfall and winding stream
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. Maples, flowering cherries, and bamboos
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. A pear garden with 3 pear trees. Harvest is around late August.
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We can consider 2007 to be the end of major landscaping work for our grounds. It took 8 long years, but well worth it. It takes this much time to live with the house, observe its environment, listen to its breaths, and find what's best for each site that also meets our needs. It's work of love for sure. At the end of each project, we looked back and told ourselves we wouldn't attempt such an undertaking for the second time. But one thing we knew for sure is that we'll take on another project which will gain us new knowledge and appreciation of nuture and life.
We sometimes go through old photos and become a believer in the old saying that 'Man can move mountains and fill up oceans'.
Update (April 2008): well, what wishful thinking saying that we had seen the end of major landscaping work  . The gold fish pond sprung a leak last winter, so we decided to take this opportunity to expand the pond so it can handle our koi too. We had to dig up all the plants around the pond edge and put them up in temporary locations around the house, and spent the entire month digging and wheelbarrowing the dirt to the front of the house where we started designing a japanese garden. This corner in the front of our property already is home to 3 lovely maple trees, which become the cornerstone for our upcoming Japanese garden. The excavated dirt from the pond form the mounds on which we arrange the stones. The Black Dragon planted next to the pond has been transplanted to this dirt mound, to create a new focal point and to balance the 3 maple trees. I'll take some snapshots and put them here soon.
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