The Edible Japanese Garden
On my way to work, I found this tiny little garden.
Some usual green in front of an apartment house was what I thought.
But then I came closer and realized something… The border was planted with Satsuki azaleas but inside were almost only edible plants!
I want to believe that the family which moved into this house did some guerilla gardening to get some fresh fruits out of this tiny space.
Here is what I found: Persimmon, Citrus, Blackberry, Myōga, Strawberry.
Now I am thinking… is it possible to implement vegetables and fruits into a Japanese garden? A look over the next fence into a traditional garden told me: yes!
A Japanese garden is made of trees, shrubs, some perennials, rocks, and maybe water.
You can use for the plants whatever trees and shrubs you like! Plant a Japanese plum tree for the original feeling and make pickles or plum wine out of the fruits. Or plant a cherry or apple tree. A tree giving nuts in autumn is nice too, right?
There are also some berry bushes which can be pruned almost like pruned shrubs in Japanese gardens but give fruits like blueberry or currant.
And I firmly believe that myoga, a relative of ginger, is a perfect additive to low bamboo! If you don’t want to harvest a lot you can also try planting potatoes or taro in the backs of your Japanese gardens.
If you want to harvest more, do some research on the huge gardens of the Edo period. They all have rice paddies, orchards and other fields for crops. It IS possible to harmoniously make a Japanese garden an edible garden!
Don’t let your imagination get limited!
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With twelve years of professional landscaping experience under her belt, Anika Ogusu is your perfect guide to the world of Japanese gardens. Her love of nature began early, in the woods near her childhood home and the garden of her grandmother’s house. During her teenage years she developed a strong interest in Japanese culture, and after university she decided to combine her love of Japan and gardens into a profession. Anika started her career as chief gardener in charge of the perennial valley at the Botanical Garden in Hamburg, Germany, then moved to Tokyo in pursuit of her dream. For two years she apprenticed under local landscape designers and learned the art of Japanese garden design, construction and maintenance. Now, in partnership with Real Japanese Gardens (www.japanesegardens.jp), her wish is to spread the magic of Japanese gardens to the rest of the world. Her in-depth guide books on gardens throughout Japan are available in eBook format or paperback. In her free time, Anika enjoys exploring her adopted country (especially green moss gardens), and soaking up nature and any details that interest her.
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With twelve years of professional landscaping experience under her belt, Anika Ogusu is your perfect guide to the world of Japanese gardens. Her love of nature began early, in the woods near her childhood home and the garden of her grandmother’s house. During her teenage years she developed a strong interest in Japanese culture, and after university she decided to combine her love of Japan and gardens into a profession. Anika started her career as chief gardener in charge of the perennial valley at the Botanical Garden in Hamburg, Germany, then moved to Tokyo in pursuit of her dream. For two years she apprenticed under local landscape designers and learned the art of Japanese garden design, construction and maintenance. Now, in partnership with Real Japanese Gardens (www.japanesegardens.jp), her wish is to spread the magic of Japanese gardens to the rest of the world. Her in-depth guide books on gardens throughout Japan are available in eBook format or paperback. In her free time, Anika enjoys exploring her adopted country (especially green moss gardens), and soaking up nature and any details that interest her.
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