A discrete network of lights give the garden a magical quality after the sun goes down.


the removal of some big laurel leaf willows in the back yard after the branch of one hit the corner of the garage. The trees clearly had to go, but their removal left a huge hole in the garden. At the same time, they wanted to add a new walkway


to the front so Jean, who was taking course in Japanese garden design, invited her instructor over to get a bit of advice. He was gobsmacked. “This is precisely the proportion and size of lot I’ve been looking for,” he exulted when he saw the back yard. He set out to create the plan to which Ray added all the electrical compo- nents; there are 60 sprinkler heads in 12 zones from pipes sunk 18 inches below the surface. It was a huge and somewhat complicated job, including the need to waterproof the exterior of the house. And because they wanted to enjoy the garden even when they are in the house, the added bay windows that open up the vista as if you were in the garden both summer and winter. There are a series of ponds cascading down to the


largest of the three nearest the house and crossed by a stone walkway at one point. The ponds are outlined with rocks to give it a natural look. Low growing Juni- per is reaching over the stones in some places. One challenge was choosing plant material that


resemble the plants that would show up in Japan but not in Edmonton. They finally struck on the clever use of lilac which is pruned to a single stem to resemble bamboo. There are all kinds of evergreens and conifers including a whole raft of different junipers and a range of barberries. Japanese spurge (Pachysandra termina- lis) is an inspired choice and its shiny, serrated leaves are echoed in the sheen of the bergenia which avoids monotony with its big paddle shaped foliage. .


Statues hidden around the garden reflect the Japanese theme. 10 • Summer 2014 www.localgardener.net


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