The classic Tsukubai planting is equisetum aka scouring rush. Not sure if this is simply for it's verticals or because it can be used as a toothbrush/clean out the stone basin.

Yours seems a bit low and the wall cladding behind it is a bit off. Maybe a bamboo fence or screen is in order?

Hi!

Thanks for answering! I always considered the equisetum a pond plant. Although I have seen it on photos of niwa style gardens. Im not sure it would fit the picture here, perhaps if I added some more stones to the left of the basin and planted the scouring rushes there...?!

About the wall, yeah its a western wall and perhaps not the best suited. I have been thinking about a bamboo fence but abandoned that project since i have been unsure what kind of bamboo fence I should make (there are many styles) and how high it should be??? Any bamboo fence there would be great for the clematis to climb on!! If thats suitable in a tsukubai view?

I have given this a LOT of thought, but I felt now was the time to ask the experts ;) I feel IM about 70 % right as it is... but I need those extra 30 lol!

kind regards
Henrik

Beware that equisetum is very invasive.

Hi henrik,
As Cytania says you definitly need a bamboo or heather screen to cover that background.
George.

Here is a link that might be useful: George's Japanese Garden

Here's what I would do for an easy upgrade.

Buy a bamboo or reed shade for around $20 for 7' x 8'. They are available from home and patio stores or import stores (While you are there, buy a small cast iron or copper lantern). Hang the shade over the metal wall. Add some larger stones around your basin and behind it to hide the foundation and anchor the view. Add a few larger stones as you move away from the basin.

Plant plants that augment the scale of your bamboo water supply and give it a mysterious origin. Experiment with staining extra paver stones with coffee or tea grounds, etc.

I'll bet you a grilled cheese sandwich your patio pavers will start receding before long!

Thank you all for these interesting ideas. I will take the following actions

1) I will construct a yotsume-gaki style fence behind the view to hide the grey wall. Width about 3 m and height about 90 cm.

2) I will add some more stones close to the tsukubai to anchor it more to the view. But I wont disrupt the three important stones, they will still be the biggest ;)

3) I will buy a pieris japonicum and add it between the basin and the hosta. And around that scrub I will add a few more smaller stones.

4) If I could afford it and find it, a rain chain would be great in this view ;)

thank you, I will post new pics as soon as I make progress! Perhaps I should add yoghurt to the basin to make moss and algae grow quicker to create that wabi style which I love.

i wrote "niwa style" at my top post, of course I mean tsuboniwa (tea garden)

/Henrik

I figured something like this:

http://www.odla.nu/album/data/mrnorth/full_1431_p28995.jpg

/Henrik

That will certainly work Henrik. Even a little fence will distract from the cladding and if you do it neatly with good bamboo no one will ever notice.

I agree equisetum is liable spread, I can only assume the Japanese use some undersoil containment to keep it neatly growing behind tsukabi.

Hiya!

Now I spent two evenings designing my version 2 of the tsukubai. Even though Im very pleased with the result, well some thingn is still missing. Or perhaps Im just trying to make TO MUCH with what I got?

http://www.odla.nu/album/data/mrnorth/full_1431_p29139.jpg

http://www.odla.nu/album/data/mrnorth/full_1431_p29140.jpg

http://www.odla.nu/album/data/mrnorth/full_1431_p29141.jpg

any thoughts?? If you can come up with more ideas i welcome them! I think the main issule IM concerned with is... should I add something, or remove something. Perhaps replace the stones with larger ones? Add some more vegetation around the pieris?

matane
Henrik

Due to the silence, I guess ther eis nothing more to do with it ;)

/henrik

Well done. I particularly like p29141.jpg

A couple of thoughts...

The granite basin is very nice, but it is small. This is good in that it is proportional to the space, but with the large path beside it, it risks being overlooked. The bamboo spout I think is too small, and gets lost with the bamboo fence behind it. I would make a longer spout as in the virtual that originates from deep within the space. It creates a diagonal line that directs the attention to the basin and gives it a little more height. I feel that the space needs a little more inclosure to feel more intimate. I would create layers of dark leaved evergreens in the rear with something like a green Japanese maple in front creating a 'ceiling' for the space. You could use camellia, cleyera, yew, or podocarpus as the background. It could be espalliered to the bamboo fence. Maybe a patch of dwarf mondo here and there. A smaller hosta may be more effective. I like the stone arrangement, but if you could find perhaps one larger stone to anchor the rear corner, it might be nice. Another thought would be to inset a very nice flat stone into the pavers directly infront of the tsukubai. Something vertical like a small stone lantern would compliment the horizontal of the basin.

{{gwi:1008167}}

Just some random ideas, for what its worth.

-christian

I Like Christian's ideas, so I had a go on similar lines, including a similar lantern and an enlarged the water basin. I'm putting the picture in the JG Gallery.

Herb

I'm not sure that yotsume-gaki is the best choice as a screening fence. Or perhaps the cladding, itself, could be changed.

What about a clematis climbing the yotsume-gaki?

Intersting idea that the yotsume-gaki is not the best choice... It would be nice if you could spin on with that idea....

Yeah I really liked a lantern there, sadly they are expensive :(

I will try to add a maple... I have one that doesnt't feel so well, but I will give it a chance here. Hopefully it will look good next season.

/Henrik

Hii!!

Now I have added a maple, although I fear for the space, when the bamboo start to grow, I think the maple will make a nice addition, what do you think?

First, an overview with the wisteria too ;)

http://www.odla.nu/album/data/mrnorth/full_1431_p29519.jpg

Next, an overview of the tsukubai scene
http://www.odla.nu/album/data/mrnorth/full_1431_p29518.jpg

and next a closeup, perhaps you think its too crowded?? I really have no clue...

http://www.odla.nu/album/data/mrnorth/1431_p29517.jpg

Im awaiting your comments with the greatest anticipation ;)

And I will think about adding a lantern too, just have to find an affordable one.
/Henrik

Henrik
dont compromise on your lantern. Its better to go without than one you really aren't sold on. I learned this the hard way. Everytime I look at mine, its with a small sigh of dissapointment rather than satisfaction.

Henrik, as for my earlier bet, let me know who gets the grilled cheese...

Well Im not sure who gets that one yet ;)

I got some ideas from christian in the gallery forum, but i dont have the materials he uses (big tree, big bushes...) so I think that perhaps I should leave it as it is... The problem in doing that is that the longer i wait, the harder it gets to move the plants LOL... Gosh.

/Henrik

Hej Henrik,

my tip is the same like DonPylant:
Hang a shade over the metal wall for a better background.
Add some larger stones around your basin and behind it to hide the foundation and anchor the view. Add a few larger stones as you move away from the basin.
I think a latern is too much in the little space.

Here are some photos from my Tsukubai composition:

{{gwi:1008168}}

{{gwi:1008169}}

Med venlig hilsen,
Mikawa

Thats lovely work! I can see im an amateur here....

What is that lovely shrub "northeast" of the basin on the top pic? it looks like a fargesia? It suits perfectly, and i have been looking for such a "thingie" too.

I can see where you all are going with the stones... I will revise my design a little. Sadly, as you can see on my pics, the space is cramped.

But I have a whole back yard i almost haven't done anything with... lack of ideas :(

/henrik

One thing which continues to catch my eye is the strong horizontal line formed by the house siding and the concrete foundation. If you could soften or eliminate that contrasting line, I think it would come together better visually. Also please be aware of the straight line formed by the three similarly sized stones to the left of the basin. If you had a couple of other stones to substitute, varying the size and line, the whole area might appear more rustic. It seems to me that strong geometric elements, even straight lines, give western flavor as opposed to Japanese influence. I may be incorrect, but this is my feeling. Beautiful elements - congratulations, enjoy!

Dave