My Zen Garden: Contentment

If you would like to follow this project from start to finish, please note that the project had multiple phases that were discussed in earlier postings.

After acquiring a Tsukubai water basin from Rob Koschnick at Oriental Garden Supply in Pittsford, NY, digging the electrical trench, and installing a water reservoir, I was able to install a copper "bamboo" water spout which will supply water to the Tsukubia via a pump within the reservoir.

My experience with bamboo gates and fences has taught me that bamboo poles, although authentic and beautiful, do not hold up well to outdoor weather. I have had to replace bamboo after only 2-3 years due to fading and cracking resulting from outdoor exposure. As a result, I wanted something that maintained the esthetic look of bamboo, but would be made of a more durable and long-lasting material.

Fortunately, I was able to locate just such a product - the Kakehi Water Spout from the Pacific Stonescape Company in Corvallis, Oregon. Their website offers a vast collection of Japanese related items, many of which are impossible to find locally in my northeast region.

After inquiring about the copper Kakehi Water Spout, I was fortunate enough to receive advice from the President of the company, Steve Dix, on how to proceed with the building of my Tsukubai water feature. Without his advice, I would have struggled to ensure I was doing the install correctly - much thanks!

Installing the spout proved easier than I had anticipated. A hose from the pump easily attached to the spout, and the spout had a base that allowed me to secure it into the ground with long metal stakes. It is resting stable, but I can also easily remove the spout as needed when future garden maintenance may arise.

Adjusting the height and distance is important. You want to make sure that the arc of the water will land in the central square of the reservoir and water basin.

Once the spout was installed, I could easily test and adjust the flow of the water. A flow control valve that came with the spout, and attached to the pump, made that process exceedingly easy.

I really like the look of the copper spout and look forward to when it patinas over time.

It simulates the look of bamboo, but also adds its own unique aesthetic to the overall water feature.

It was now time to place the 250 lb. granite water basin. Initially, I thought the Aquascape AquaBasin 30, a 30 x 30 x 16" reservoir might have been overkill, but it is engineered to hold 500 lbs and was definitely sturdy enough to hold the basin and the crushed granite stones I used as a top cover.

I also added a geo-mesh atop the reservoir to prevent debris from entering the reservoir tank. Locating real geo-mesh in a small size proved difficult. It only comes in large, expensive roles. So, instead, I opted to use a heavy duty pet-resistant window screen material that I acquired at the local hardware store.

The much smaller role, and affordable price, made it a good alternative. The screen holes are small, but will allow water to pass through while keeping debris out. Each spring I will be able to move the crushed granite and clean the screen. It should be noted that I did not lay a full sheet. Instead, I cut a reservoir sized square with a basin sized circle so that the screen can be lifted out and cleaned without having to move the granite basin.

It should also be noted that even my best effort at leveling the reservoir needed some adjustment. Unable to move the reservoir, I instead opted for plastic shims that would allow me to make micro adjustments to the basin, ensuring that water more evenly spread across the surface of the basin and drain more evenly into the reservoir.

Once the basin and crushed granite were in place, I made some adjustments to the nearby plantings surrounding the Tsukubia area. In time the plants will grow and and should fill in any gaps.

The last hardscape feature I wanted to add was a stepping stone in front of the basin. The original Tsukubai at Ryōan-ji, in Kyoto, Japan has several stepping stones that are used as an approach to the basin and from which to crouch (the word Tsukubia literally means "to crouch”).

I did not have any flat stepping stones available, and faux stepping stones looked too much like cement. So, I headed north to the Adirondack Natural Stone Company in Whitehall, NY to search for just the right stone. This stone yard is a vast area of granite, mostly expensive stones that are well out of my possibility to acquire. However, they have an enormous amount of waste and fragments which they were kind enough to let me explore.

Locating a Hawthorne granite stone that would compliment my crushed granite, larger border stones, and the water basin proved challenging, but after several hours I located a stone that I thought was perfect. It was small enough for me to pick up, needed no sculpting, and was not so large that it would detract from the basin.

It's color and striations were exactly what I was looking for, and I acquired it for $11!

I decided to install it a bit off center, and across the lawn edging so that it resided in both the Tsukubia area and the lawn, giving it a more natural appearance.

With the installation of the stepping stone, I was finished.

I did my best to pay homage to the original mid 1600s Tsukubia at the at Ryōan-ji temple, in Kyoto and I think I came pretty close.

Tsukubia at Ryōan-ji

Tsukubia at Songni Yuan

I even added a Hishaku, or tradition Japanese water ladle, to sit nearby the Tsukubia for ritual washing (note - this is mostly for aesthetics, I would not drink the water from this fountain since I am treating it with anti-mosquito larvae chemicals)

The completed Tsukubia looks and sounds beautiful.