Category Archives: Sculptures

Similar Lantern, Different Feeling

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“Kotoji and Stream”
Portland Japanese Garden

The Kotoji Japanese lantern in the Portland Japanese Garden is tucked away, partly hidden by surrounding shrubs and weeping maples. Shade has stimulated moss to grow on the lantern over the years. The lantern peacefully looks over the gentle, slow moving small stream.

At Heatherwood, the feeling is quite different. The surrounding shrubs and Orangeola Japanese maple have not had the years to mature and surround the Kotoji. The lantern is in full direct sun and stands like a strong guardian over the rapidly rushing stream and waterfalls.

“Kotoji and Waterfall”
Heatherwood Japanese Garden

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Another Influence

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“Lantern and Wash Basin”
Portland Japanese Garden

A lantern and wash basin typically greet visitors before they enter a Japanese garden tea house. This one in the Portland Japanese Garden is tucked into a little shaded cove just inside the gate leading to the tea house.

At Heatherwood, we do not have a tea house but are attempting to create a small cozy secluded sitting area to peacefully view the pond, stream, and water fall. In addition to an occasional cup of tea, it is a nice place to have a morning cup of coffee or afternoon glass of wine or other refreshing beverage. At the entrance of the sitting area, we have installed a small Japanese lantern and wash basin to simulate the feeling of Japanese garden tea house.

“Oribe Lantern, Tetsu Bachi Basin, & Kakehi Water Spout”
Heatherwood Japanese Garden

As you can see, the vegetation has not grown up around the water feature and it is not covered with moss. We patiently wait for surrounding plants and Japanese maples to grow and create a shady canopy for the wash basin.

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Design Inspiration

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“Lantern On Waterfall Pond”
Portland Japanese Garden

This scene at the Portland Japanese Garden was my initial inspiration for a corner of our pond in Heatherwood’s Japanese influenced garden. Our vignette at Heatherwood is quite a bit different, but contains many of the same elements. We built a rock ledge extending out over our pond and placed a similar type of Japanese lantern overlooking the pond. To the left of the lantern we planted Siberian iris which parallels the irises in the Portland garden. We planted an Akebono cherry tree to the right of the lantern. We have a sitting area behind the lantern with a rock stepping stone path leading up to the pond beside the lantern. We have just purchased a Japanese maple to plant alongside the lantern. Below is our Heatherwood perspective.

“Yukimi Japanese Lantern & Pond”
Heatherwood Japanese Garden

We have a long way to go before we have a “finished looking” scene. Each year we enjoy watching the garden evolve as we add new touches.

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Early Morning Sun

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“Kotoji in Early Morning Sun”
Heatherwood Japanese Garden

The early morning sun is always a delight as it first grazes our Heatherwood garden. Backlit leaves warm the scene with their filtered soft colors. Light sparkles from the water and highlights the southeast facing vegetation. Shadows provide striking contrast ,popping out the highlights of the exposed plants. I look up and see the Kotoji lantern proudly standing guard over his domain.

Its a peaceful way to start the day!

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Spring View

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“Lower Falls View”
Heatherwood Japanese Garden

As I walk along our garden path, this is one of my favorite vignettes. Looking up the hillside, Japanese maples, various evergreens, and the Kotoji frame in the rushing stream above the pond. Each season brings different color and form to this little view. Each year the trees and shrubs grow and provide a fuller picture. Only four years ago this hillside was simply covered with grass and was a &%#&!? to mow!

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Guardians

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“Kotoji & Orangeola Japanese Maple”
Heatherwood Japanese Garden

The Kotoji and Orangeola Japanese Maple are the guardians of Heatherwood’s stream and waterfalls. The Orangeola’s first breakout of leaves is a robust red. In mid-summer it transitions into a burgundy and green color. Then in the fall, it bursts out into a spectacular orange. Over time the Orangeola will grow and drape over the Kotoji.

This image illustrates some of our spring planting this year. Across the stream, white and pink phlox and kinnikinnick are starting to cover the ground. Siberian cypresses planted on both sides of the stream will gradually grow and flow down over the rocks to the stream. Some day, years from now, our Heatherwood Japanese garden will be filled with complementary vegetation from the ground to the sky. In the mean time, we will enjoy each day watching the garden grow.

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Tough Guy

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“North Wind Hybrid Japanese Maple”
Heatherwood Japanese Maple

Our North Wind Japanese maple is a hybrid that has been developed to withstand harsher environments than a typical Japanese maple. It is located in full harsh afternoon sunlight and will eventually flow over the Oribe Japanese lantern and a Tetsu Bachi water basin. It provides an entryway to our lower Japanese garden retreat.

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Early Morning Light

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“Yukimi and Waterfall”
Heatherwood Japanese Garden

Early morning light reflecting off the falling water and pond stopped me dead in my tracks during a stroll through our garden. My mind wanders. I notice how the little Yukimi watches over the fish in the pond and gazes at the sparkling waterfall as in turn the Akebono Cherry gently watches over the lantern.

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Complementary Trees and Sculpture

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“Hokkeji and Japanese Maples”
Heatherwood Japanese Garden

The early spring color of our Japanese Maples highlight our garden. These two frame in the Hokkeji lantern beside the Japanese garden entry path. We enjoy the nice flash of contrasting color as we enter the garden.

Japanese maples are one of my weaknesses. Heatherwood has several throughout the garden. However, whenever I see something a little different, I want to add it. We are at the stage in our garden development that I need to have patience and wait for some of our shade trees to grow to provide the right condition for some of the less sun tolerant species.

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