gardening – Page 3 – Garden Life Japan

Change of Seasons

As the days get shorter and we wake up colder we can see things slowly changing all around us. Some things are dying and other things are breathing the cool fall air for the first time. My trees are starting to change color and fill the lawn and hillside with piles of leaves. The changing of the trees ushers in a new season and whole new set of veggies and fruits from the garden. Since we didnt use the greenhouse for the tomatoes this year they are giving us their last bit of energy and falling slowly into the ground. But as my tomatoes get absorbed back into the ground, fall is bringing another chance for one of my favorite greens to thrive. Spinach is expensive here in Japan so I use plenty of garden space for my spinach so I can stock up for the winter. Along with spinach, my cabbage, lettuce, broccoli, beets, and cilantro are loving the new change of weather as well. Our fruits too are getting plump and ready for the picking. The kiwis are softening up, the persimmons are turning orange, the kyoho grapes are transforming into a deep dark purple, and our asian pears look like small fat little globes hanging from the tree. As my neighbors harvest their rice and leave the fields bare it reminds me that this is yet another closing to a succesful harvest. We even had a huge harvest moon last week which was an added bonus. Now come the preperations for the long cold winter. Unfortunately the cold and snow is coming and we will be stuck in our house hibernating for the next half year. The only comforting thing I have to look forward to in winter is cuddling with the love of my life and snowboarding. But for the time being I am content tending to my garden for what little time is left and watching the hillsides explode with color!

Garden Envy

My town is 500 meters above sea level located right at the beginning of the southern alps of Japan. Some of the highest peaks in Japan are no more than 50 kilometers away. The land goes up and down with very few houses or buildings to be seen. In the middle of these ups and downs rice fields dominate the landscape. The newly planted rice looks beautiful and fragile in the big fields of water.

I look out the 2nd level windows at my school to see the farmers and gardeners going back and forth busy at work. Then I turn my head back to the computer where I am overwhelmed by the beauty of all your gardens. All your blogs filled with pretty pictures and bountiful harvest makes me jealous.

view of gardens in japan

I feel confined with so much land around me and beautiful blogs at my fingertips I cant help but want to go outside. But I am stuck in a big cement box which is otherwise known as my elementary school. I long to be outside in my garden doing what I love with the warm spring sun on my back. But instead I get about thirty minutes a day during the week and a few hours on the weekend. And the rest of the time I am teaching! Every time I drive around my town I see immaculate gardens with prefectly measured rows, complicated trellisses, and NO weeds. Where do these people get the time? Dont they have jobs?!?! Wouldnt it be nice if we could all just support our families by playing around in the garden? I guess thats part of the reason why I started this blog. Anyways here I am daydreaming at work envious of all you gardeners who are out there all day long!