Rangataua site for Japanese garden

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 44, 21 April 1987, Page 12

Rangataua site for Japanese garden

A taste of the Orient has pervaded the Waimarino in the form of a Japanese tea house and garden. The last thing you would expect to find in the back yard of a farm house just outside Rangataua is an authentic tea house that might have come straight out of 'Shogun.' Val Drayton's interest in Japanese culture inspired the project, with help from the local library and many books. The tea house is constructed from a basic wooden hexagonal conservatory or spa pool frame but topped with a genuine thatched roof painstakingly woven from enormous amounts of swamp grass. The roofing and the cobblestone floor were con-

structed by Mrs Drayton and husband George. The walls of the tea house are still to be erected and will probably be made of bamboo if enough material can be acquired. Paper lanterns from Japan adorn the walls and a bonsai tree grows in a container in one corner. The theme of a true Japanese tea house is simplicity. A teahouse is a place of relaxation. The tea house is at the apex of the garden which is also created as a place of rest and serenity. Japanese gardens can be either for strolling in or merely viewing — Mrs Drayton's garden is both. What was once waste ground under some pine trees has been transformed over the space of a year into

the tranquil garden. Much hard work went into creating the garden which must look natural and perfect to fit the Japanese style. • Japanese gardens feature stones (all of which have names!) that are placed carefully to enable them to be contemplated at leisure. Only green plants and shrubs are grown because flowers detract from the beauty of the stones. Mrs Drayton has created a stream to flow through the garden and intends to erect an oriental-style bridge to cross it. The garden also features cane screens and Japanese snow lanterns to add to its authenticity. Japanese gardens are without grass — instead there is bare dirt that needs to be raked meticulously, at least once a day. Mrs Drayton's garden takes 45 minutes to rake thoroughly but she finds the job is more soothing than a chore. Still to be added is a gateway facing east to greet the rising sun for entering the garden and an archway for leaving. The entire family have taken part in creating the small piece of Japan in the Waimarino. Three of the Drayton's four children have visited Japan and have contributed from their own experience. Mrs Drayton said she hopes to have both projects, the tea house and the garden, finished before winter sets in.