Patient Buddha

During the rebuilding of the garden fence, I haven’t had much time to tend to plants. Still, it is impossible to ignore the beauty of the Bugleweed growing in front of Buddha. It’s reaching full bloom this week and the purple color is outstanding.

Unfortunately, the new fence panels won’t be installed until the colorful bloom passes. Hopefully, next year will look as nice with a different backdrop.

First Flame

I was visiting a local nursery, with no plans to buy, just browse. However, as usual, I could not control myself.

I loved the way that the Crabapple tree I planted in the stroll garden last year had turned out. 

It blocks the view of my neighbor's house, made a great transition point between the viewing garden and the stroll garden, and the blossoms this spring were spectacular.

The problem was that at the opposite end of the garden, just behind the small Moon Lantern, there was a void that I felt needed to be filled.

Primarily, the view near and above the fence was characterized by the large Snowmound Spiraea, a telephone pole, and an open view of the neighbors across the street.

I thought having a similar sized tree, but a different variety, would help add some balance to the view.

While at the nursery, I stumbled upon a tree that immediately caught my attention. A First Flame Maple "Iseli Introduction" (Acer x pseudosieboldianum). 

This maple has star shaped leaves that are a bright red-orange. The colors were more fall-like than spring. Mid-summer, the leaves should turn a light green. However, the red-orange leaves should continue to emerge throughout the summer.

Over time, the tree will grow to 20' H and 15' W, but it can be trimmed as easy as any other Acer type maple tree, like my dwarfs I have elsewhere in the garden. 

I also think it will help to distract from the telephone pole as well, and be well centered with the lantern and rock in the viewing area of the garden.

I love the color and think it will make a nice addition to the viewing garden, adding a fall-like interest all summer.

Later in the week I will move some existing plants around, prep and amend the soil, and plant the tree.

Like Clouds Floating in the Sky

Pink blossoms abound 

Like clouds floating in the sky 

Dreams of Kosokuji

     - D. Besozzi

The Crabapple tree (Mrs. Krabappel) reached full bloom this weekend. I was very happy to see it come to full life and start another season.

Not only is the tree beautiful, but I am very satisfied with the placement of the tree. It does much to hide the large Oak in the background and the unsightly telephone pole.

The blossoms are really spectacular when viewed up close, and there are so many!

It was a real joy to see and I made sure to photographically document the bloom. I knew that this beauty would not last. The cycle of life and rebirth must go on. Like every moment of life, this joy would be fleeting. Fortunately, the blooming flowers lasted a solid 48 hours before the arrival of torrential rains that scattered the blossoms about.

Raindrops from the sky

Blossoms gently fall downward

I return to work

      - D. Besozzi

Let the Blooming Begin!

With the arrival of spring and warmer weather, I have been waiting for the Crabapple tree (Mrs. Krabappel) that I planted last year to flower.

As of May 5th, there were no flowers, but the leaves were a nice bright red. 

I have been checking daily, as other trees in the neighborhood were blooming all around. I was beginning to wonder if Mrs. Krabappel would even flower this year.

However, this afternoon I discovered the first bloom. 

How exciting! It's beautiful! 

Now I will wait and see what the next few days offer. I'm hoping to see more blooms.

Laying Rails

With new fence posts in, it was now time to add fence rails.

One major change I made with this new fence design was to use of OWT Ornamental Wood Ties 2 x 4" Top Rail Saddles. The saddles are powder-coated metal and very solid. 

They could be installed at 90 degrees or perpendicular, allowing them to be used for the top rail and the bottom rail design I am employing.

They were easy to install. By placing one end of the 2 x 4 into a saddle while I worked at the other end, it allowed me to install the rails without any human assistance. 

They should also reduce a rot issue I encountered with the old fence design. Originally, I attached each rail with two screws from the top. Over a decade, water seeped into the screw holes and compromise the ability of the screws to support the rails, especially along the bottom rails which were often below the snow line in the winter. These saddles should reduce the likelihood of that occurring.

Another change I made was to use two 2 x 4s, one vertical, and the other horizontal, for the bottom rail support (similar to the fence I built last year in the stroll garden). 

I did this because this new design will use cedar boards instead of bamboo. Originally, the bamboo looked great the first two or three years after installation:

2018

Eventually the bamboo faded with age and was starting to look sad. 

2021

I am also hoping to keep some continuity between the fences throughout the garden areas, especially after the design change used in the Stroll Garden fence. In addition, the strengthening of this bottom rail will help lessen the possibility of the bottom rail bowing, a constant problem of the old fence design that had only a single 2 x 4 for the bottom rail.

I still have to attach the top portion of the bottom rail. I am hoping to recycle some of the top sections of 2 x 4s from the old fence. The bottoms, unfortunately, were in poor and rotted condition and had to be discarded. As a result, the bottom portions of the new fence consist of brand new 2 x 4 boards. The previous tops are still in great shape since they were never below the snow line, so reusing them should help save some money.

The Post Man

Since the last blog post I have been working on rebuilding the fence. First, I hired a neighbor's son to help me dig the post holes and remove the old posts. I was worried that it might be too difficult given my recent cardiac health crisis. Together, we were able to dig out the old posts and open up the post holes. As expected, the posts near the bottom were mostly solid. It was the transition zone between the soil and air were the main rot occurred.

After improving the post holes, I placed the new posts in essentially the same location as last time. 

I considered moving the Moon Window to center it with the walkway, but the dwarf Maple that was planed on the other side would not have been centered. 

So, I settled on keeping the fence the same. Most of the posts were easy to re-post, and the new post protectors on the bottom were easy to install. I tried my best to keep each protector between 10-11" above the soil. 

The last post was the most difficult because it was located where the old fence and gate met at a corner. It was also attached to the new fence I installed last year in the stroll garden. It appeared to be solid, but a test dig revealed similar rot. It was only solid because it was being held in place by the other two fence sections. Given its similar age and condition to the other posts, it seemed prudent to replace it and add a post protector. Doing so without compromising the other two fence sections was no easy task.

Once in, it was solid and will last as long as all the other new posts.

The next step will be to start adding rails.

Renew and Rebirth

Here is the first post of 2022. This is turning out to be a year of surprises.

Actually, much of my troubles began back in December 2012 when a storm with very strong winds came by and knocked down one of the garden fence panels (just behind Buddha). It was a combination of wind and rotting posts.

The fence was built in stages starting back in 2010. I knew I would get at least ten years out of the cedar posts, which I did not want to treat with chemicals, so I can't complain that they have lasted 12 years. 

I quickly discovered that most of the posts were in a similar condition and that it was just a matter of time before they all failed. My plan was to put off taking apart the fence and building a new one until spring. Unfortunately, I suffered another major cardiac event in early April, so my ability to do the strenuous work to complete the fence will be limited. I'm hoping I can hire someone to help with the old post removal and new post holes that will need to be dug.

With the help of my wife, we were able to take down the fence piece by piece (she did all the hard work). We piled them up for repair and reuse where possible. 

Wood is expensive these days, so any recycling will help save the budget. We were also able to detach the moon window intact. 

With some care and adjustments, it should be able to go back into place.

I have come to learn over the years that the best way to avoid having the posts rot was to use a protective cover that wraps around the posts at the point where the air and ground meet. This is where rot occurs. If there is oxygen, soil, and water, that will rot the posts. Three feet down they are not rotted due to the lack of oxygen, only the one foot area just below and above the surface show signs of rot. 

Unfortunately, the original fence did not have any protection installed. In 2018 I had a similar problem with two posts. As part of the solution, I installed post protectors - a metal cover with a rubberized protective seal inside, about 1 foot long. They have held up well and those two posts are solid and secure.

This time around I am going a bit more extreme. I am going to use 4 in. x 4 in. x 30 in. In-Ground HDPE Fence Post Decay Protectors. 

I am hoping these longer protectors will ensure that the new posts don't snap at the surface and will possibly last even longer that 12 years. Only time will tell (Note: they were not inexpensive).

The garden looks sad now that the fence is gone.

Before

After

It will take some time and effort, but with a few modifications the fence will be rebuilt and renewed, as will I. 

I have said this before: the garden and I have a symbiotic relationship. I take care of the garden, and the garden takes care of me.

As the garden grows and changes, so do I. As spring gets started we will both experience some renewal and get back to where we once were.

Halloween Surprise

The Japanese maple in the Zen garden usually drops all it leaves and color by now, but this year the leaves seem to be about a week later. 

That weather has been remarkably warm for this time of year and perhaps that is why.

Regardless, the color looks fantastic.

Walk The Line

I wanted to share some of the progress that has occurred in the new viewing and stroll gardens. The fence has certainly improved the appearance, but the plants in this are area doing very well. 

Adding fresh mulch helped with moisture retainment, and the large amounts of rainfall we experienced this summer also helped. Normally the soil here is very poor and sandy. Regardless, some of the plants have finally taken to the soil.

The Scotch Pine Pom Pom
(Pinus sylvestris) looks great.

The Blue Star Juniper is looking healthy after several
years of doing very poorly.

The Mikawa yatsubusa Japanese Maple,
a bit thinned, but holding up well
to its transplant. 

The Panicum Virgatum 'Ruby Ribbons' has grown substantially
since it was first transplanted to this location. It looks
wonderful with the fence in the background.

The hardscape and lantern also accentuate
the 'Ruby Ribbons.'

The Super Blue Liriope (Liriope mascara 'Super Blue')
is thriving along the edges.

The Japanese Forest Grass 'Aureola' (Hakonechloa
macra 'Aureola') along the new fence has filled in nicely.

A stray Japanese Painted Fern (Athyrium niponicum 'Pictum'
anchors a "mountain" with the fence as backdrop.

Overall, theses ares of the garden are looking the best they ever have.

Finding Peace

As the summer winds down, I have been reflecting on the need to find peace in these troubled times in which we live. As usual, having the time to work and relax in the garden has helped to make the meandering journey somewhat easier to navigate.

I once again turn to the words of Lao Tsu and Taoism to help me find my own path. The ancient text of the Hua Hu Ching, although more likely 4th century reflections, contain a wisdom that inspires regardless of the origins and attribution. May the verse below offer some insight:

Thirty Seven

A superior person cares for the well-being of all

    things.

She does this by accepting responsibility for the energy 

    she manifests, both actively and in the subtle realm.

Looking at a tree, she sees not an isolated event, but 

    root, leaves, trunk, water, soil and sun: each event 

    related to the others, and "tree" arising out of their 

    relatedness.

Looking at herself or another, she sees the same thing.

Trees and animals, humans and insects, flowers and

    birds:

These are the active images of the subtle energies that flow 

    from the stars throughout the universe. Meeting 

    and combining with each other and the elements of 

    the earth, they give rise to all living things.

The superior person understands this, and understands 

    that her own energies play a part in it.

Understanding these things, she respects the earth as 

    her mother, the heavens as her father, and all living 

    things as her brothers and sisters.

Caring for them, she knows that she cares for herself.

Giving to them, she knows that she gives to herself.

At peace with them, she is always at peace with herself.

By Lao Tsu

Translated by Brian Walker

As a teacher, I have always believed that we are all connected and that caring and giving are wonderful ways to find peace for all. Although a brief offering, I hope that you find the following video a momentary distraction from the isolated events in our ever complicated lives. Perhaps it will help you relax and consider the beauty in the world that surrounds us everyday. Looking past the troubles we face, we might behold the "tree" and find a moment of peace. 

Enjoy.