Wonderful Garden

Horowhenua Chronicle, 30 May 1910, Page 4

Wonderful Garden

—._ SECRETS OF JAPANESE ART. Before a transformation scene, tJie like of which has not before been witnessed in England, a Japanese garden artist of fame explained the crowning wonder of the Shepherd's Hush exhibition, and disclosed some of the secrets of culture. Two separate acres in different parts of ithe exhibition will be converted, under 100 and more Hriti.sh workmen into Japanese landscape gardens, representing two of the seven styles of sclionis prevailing in Japan. On one site the S-sha.ped lake is already excavated, and the 10ft hill is rising. Quaint stringed and pegged patterns are dotted over the grass and the .structure of the bridges one over a railway: the others over the lake are mapped out. On this acre a whole countryside will be represented; a high waterfall, lakes, hills, trees, grass, flowers, with many other features. The iris arid the lotus lake are side Inside: and the supreme glory will be the wistarias', some dwarf trees covered with bloom, some wide and spreading. All the plants will come direct from Japan, the lotus plants and irises and lOft maples, as well as the 200-year-old fitone lantern towers, with every bit of linchenous and mnssv growth carefully protected. The flowers are coining by way of America, for fear that the heat' of the other routo should make the lotus and irises flower prematurely. GARDEN IN SIX SQUARE INCHES. "Size of space does not matter to us." said Mr Suburo Eida. "I can make you a complete garden-lakes, bridges, hills, trees and the rest — within six inches square, or I will nlan a five-mile garden. A'ou have only one real Japanese garden in England, and one in Ireland." And when Tlollond was suggested, often quoted as a model Japanese garden, he said: "Oh, that is more like a jungle," and he .added some very contemptuous criticism of the abomination of planting out flmvors in beds. A miniature garden. 2ft, my 7ft designed by the famous Taikoven is to be exhibited: but Mr Tzawn 'Mid ATr Eida rely on the bigger gardens to convert English people to tlie Jnpanrso style. DWARF TREE SECRETS. How to grow the dwarf trees has been kept a secret, hut .Mr Eida assured mo that the secret was continual labour along the following lines. After some years' growth the tap root is cut. then every year .the trees is repotted with neeessary root trimmings: and, for tlie rest, growth is arrested by continually changing the tree from dark rooms to light rooms and from cold to hot, with immense care in supplying the exact amount of water.