Enter the Dragon

I finally decided to make some major adjustments to the Dragon's Spine area.

Originally, this meandering edge was not meant to be part of the Zen garden. It was just the property line along the back yard. We thought that the edge looked like a dragons's spine, with the tail end at the far end of the property behind the garden shed, and the dragon's head at the retaining wall-edge that overlooked the Zen garden. In those early days, a sump pump spilled water into the Zen garden (long since diverted elsewhere).

Over time, I filled the bed with a variety of plants and shrubs, some of which are still there, others moved to locations elsewhere on the property. 

When I decided to build a Sukiya style gate, I placed it at the far end of the Dragon's Spine. As a result, a small portion of the meandering edge was cut off, reducing the amount of meandering. Over the next few years I used the bed as sort of a dumping ground for plants which had nowhere else to go.

Some of the long term plantings include a large and small boxwood, small pine tree/shrub, and or course the red dwarf maple at the center.

I had been hoping that some of these plants would grow into a hedge wall that would act like a fence. However, that hope was not realized. My desire for a hedge wall contributed to my unwillingness to extend the Japanese style fence that I built in the Zen garden, and subsequent Viewing and Stroll gardens down along the back of the Dragon's Spine.

However, I have now decided to try a variation on the fence idea. The woodlot behind the house is not pleasant to look at. So, a fence would go a long way to improve the view.

Searching around on the internet I happened to come across an image that sparked my interest. 

In addition, I had taken a photo of a gate at Sho-fu-en in the Denver Botanic Garden that had elements that I thought might help with a new fence design.

Combining the two images into one design allowed me to come up with the following plan:

The post structure is similar to the existing fence style, except that it will be stained black. Instead of cedar panels, the left and right panels will consist of 1" diameter black bamboo screens. The center panel will be centered behind the Red Dwarf Maple and consist of naturally stained cedar slats laid horizontal with repeating gaps to create a screen. This should give it a "pop" from the rest of the fence, and the lighter cedar behind the dark red Maple will help the Maple stand out.

It will take a few days to get this project finished, especially before the arrival of winter. So far the first day saw me remove some planting and install the posts. 

Day two consisted of installing most of the rails and top rail, as well as a first coat of black stain. 

Over the next week, I should be able to complete a second staining and install the bamboo. The center slats will take some time to create and install. In the meantime, I'm happy with how its turning out.