Southeastern Flower Show 2003

Landscape Division
Statement of Purpose for the Garden Exhibit
East Meets South - Konnichiwa Ya’ll

Exibit #: 5303

Exibit Title:  East Meets South - Konichiwa Y’all

Theme: What would happen if you took a little bit of East and a little bit of South and mixed them together?  Well, let’s put our typical Southern family into a Far Eastern garden setting…perhaps a Japanese Tea Garden…and include a drought tolerant Zen garden!  Then, let’s substitute OUR Eastern and Southeastern native plants and…. ‘get jiggy with it’!  Imagine the giggles of the children if set loose in the Zen Garden (aka BIG sandbox).  With the children so occupied, imagine what y’all can do in the Tea House…

USDA Zone, Location, Season, Exposure: Zones 7-8.  Hotlanta!  The season is Winter.  The pathway to the Tea House is dappled shade while the Zen garden area is full sun.

Special Techniques:  This garden was inspired by the peace and tranquility offered by a “traditional” Japanese Tea Garden then blending in the Southern tradition. We accomplished this by using only Eastern/Southeastern native plants, also demonstrating the versatility of our native plants.  Just as Asian plants have occupied traditional Southern gardens for generations, so can our native plants occupy traditional gardens of all styles.  Note the thatched roof, which is hand made of our native Broomsedge and the fencing is of our native Rivercane, Tulip Tree, and Willow.  This garden also demonstrates the use of small garden spaces, drought tolerant landscaping, and xeriscaping.  So follow the dewy path of the lovers to the teahouse or play in the sand with the kids…whichever suits your fancy.  As the note on the garden gateway reads: 

“Dear Rhett San, 
The kids are busy in the sandbox…meet me for Sake and ??? in the Tea House!  Scarlet”
(Please refer to the Terminology Worksheet for more detailed information on the significance of the facades & props used)

Special Research:  This garden design has been quite challenging in that it required much research on our part to accurately design the Japanese Tea Garden.  Everything from the shape of the Zen sand area, the waterfall, the rock formations, gateways, purification basin, plant color/texture, tea house design…and more are rooted in early Shinto/Buddhism tradition as well as that of the great early Tea Masters’ philosophy and design…minus the children and frolic in the Tea House.

There are typically little if any flowers in the traditional tea garden (too distracting).  Rather you find solid green leaves  (instead of variegated) so more emphasis is placed on texture, form, and placement of objects (such as rock and bark).  It is the family that brings the ‘flowers’ to this garden; represented by the red objects, color opposite of green and representative of the South in Feng Shui (note the kimono, chopsticks, windsock, children’s toys).  Since the Tea Garden is a place of quiet, humble meditation/ceremony, the design must be soft, soothing, and easily converging with nature; it is never ostentatious.  Much emphasis is placed on the gently winding dewy pathway or ‘roji’.

The following books were a great resource of information: Creating Japanese Gardens By Philip Cave, Japanese Garden Design By Marc P. Keane, Japanese Gardening in Small Spaces By Isao Yoshikawa, The Japanese Garden- Islands of Serenity By Haruzo Ohashi, Feng Shui in the Garden by Nancilee Wydra, Japanese Garden and Floral Art by Mrs. Paul Kincaid.

Unique Plant Material:  We selected many weeping species, since this graceful form is most often seen in Japanese Gardens, as well as plants with unusual bark or texture such as Weeping Elm, Weeping Yaupon, Bald Cypress, Weeping Hemlock, Weeping Yucca, Weeping Redbud, and Needle Palm. 

Other: “The viewer does not physically enter the garden but rather explores it mentally.  In this case, what is actually a rather small garden could be found limitless, expressing the philosophic idea (included in but not exclusive to Zen) of finding vast in small.”  And a few words on Yin & Yang…”It was believed that all universal things oscillate between these opposites, and landscape design sought to balance these opposites to create harmony.” Source: Creating Japanese Gardens

Plant Info Sheet          

Foot-note

No.

Common Name 

Botanical Name 

Zone

Size

HxW

Growing Conditions

Care-Easy-E

Mod-M Hard-H

Comments

 

1

Rivercane

Arundinaria gigantea

5-9

20x?

Wet/moist soil/  part-full shade

E

Our native bamboo; Good for streambank restoration and erosion problems in place of Asian species; Spreading but not choking habit.

2

(Bonsai) Carolina Hemlock

Tsuga caroliniana

5-7

60x25

Moist/well-drained soil /full-part sun

E/M

More tolerant of warm climate than Canadian Hemlock

3

Needle Palm

Rhapidophyllum hystrix

6-10

6x10

Well drained soil/part shade

E

Most cold tolerant of all palms.  Supposedly hardy to –10 degrees.

4

Florida Anise

Illicium floridanum

6-9

8x8

Moist soil/part shade

E

Evergreen; Aromatic leaves and flowers; Grows best in rich organic soil in partial shade.

5

Rhododendron

Rhododendron catawbiense ‘Boursault’

4-8

10x10

Moist/well drained soil /part-full sun

E/M

Better in cooler climate north of Atlanta.

6

Christmas Fern

Polystichum acrostichoides

3-8

1.5x3

Fertile/moist soil/full-part shade

E

Evergreen; Drought tolerant; Easy to grow

7

Weeping Canadian Hemlock

Tsuga canadensis ‘Pendula’

4-8

12x25

Moist/well-drained soil /full-part sun

E/M

Weeping habit; Better adapted to cooler climate in the north and mountain areas.

8

Southern Wood Fern

Thelypteris kunthii

7-10

3x3

Wet/moist soil/part sun

E

A versatile evergreen to semi-evergreen fern that grows quickly and can take morning sun

9

Bald Cypress

Taxodium distichum

5-10

80x25

Wet/moist/

average soil/full sun

E

A deciduous conifer, normally found in wet sites, but tolerant of urban and suburban conditions; Fast growing

10

Striped Winter Green

Chimaphila maculata

5-8

6”x6”

Moist/well drained soil /part-full shade

E/M

Evergreen; Prefers well drained acidic soil; Commonly found under pines in Piedmont

   11

 

Weeping Carolina Hemlock

Tsuga caroliniana ‘LaBar Weeping’

5-7

7x20

Moist/well-drained soil /full-part sun

E/M

Weeping habit; More tolerant of warm climate than Canadian Hemlock

12

Ginger

Hexastylis arifolia

6-9

6”x1’+

Moist/well-drained soil /full-part shade

E

Spreading; Evergreen; Prefers rich organic soil

13

Crane Fly Orchid

Tipularia discolor

4-9

2”x4”

Moist/well drained soil /part-full shade

E

Leaves commonly emerge in the fall as green with purple undersides; Leaves disappear in spring followed by a 10”-12” stalk of small purple/brown flowers.

14

Ebony Spleen Wort

Asplenium platyneuron

3-9

10”x10”

Moist/well drained soil /full-part shade

E

Evergreen; Drought tolerant; Easy to grow

15

Partridge Berry

Mitchella repens

4-9

1”x1’+

Moist/well drained soil /full-part shade

E

Evergreen; Spreading; Prefers soil high in organic matter;  Has red berries in fall.

16

Anisetree

Illicium parviflorum

6-9

10x10

Moist soil/part shade

E

Evergreen; Aromatic leaves and flowers; Grows best in rich organic soil in partial shade

   17

Loblolly Pine

Pinus taeda

6-9

75x30

Variable soil /full sun

E

Fast Growing; Common Pine in Piedmont

18

River Birch

Betula nigra

4-9

60x40

Moist/well drained soil /full sun

E

Normally found along rivers/streams, but tolerant of urban and suburban conditions; Exfoliating bark

19

Ground Cedar

Lycopodium digitatum

4-8

6”x1’+

Moist/well-drained soil /full-part shade

H

Spreading; Evergreen; Prefers acidic soil; Difficult to transplant and establish.


 

20

Rhododendron

Rhododendron catawbiense ‘Purpureum Elegans’

4-8

10x10

Moist/well drained soil /part-full sun

E/M

Better in cooler climate north of Atlanta.

21

Weeping Elm

Ulmus alata ‘Lace Parasol’

6-9

10x15

Moist/well drained soil/full sun

E

Weeping habit; Corky bark makes for great winter interest.  Resistant to Dutch Elm Disease.

22

Doghobble

Leucothoe axillaris

6-9

3x5

Moist soil/part-full shade

E

Evergreen; Suckering shrub; Grows best in rich moist soil in shade.

23

Galax

Galax urceolata

5-8

6”x1’+

Moist/well-drained soil /full-part shade

M

Spreading; Evergreen;  Needs rich organic soil.

24

Dogwood tree

Cornus florida

5-8

20x25

Moist/well-drained soil /part shade

E

A long-admired staple of the Southern Garden.  Can suffer from leaf spot and powdery mildew under stress.

25

Long Leaf Pine

Pinus palustris

7-10

100x40

Well drained/sandy soil/full sun

E/M

More commonly seen in Lower South; Slow Growing; Deep-rooted.  Easy to grow in Coastal Plain, more difficult in Piedmont

26

Weeping Yucca

Yucca recurvifolia

6-9

6x6

Moist/well drained soil/ full sun

E

Weeping habit on older leaves; Large stalks of white/creamy flowers in summer

27

Red Osier Dogwood

Cornus sericea

2-8

6x10

Wet/Moist soil /full sun

E/M

Suckering shrub good for wet areas. Best in cooler climates.  Newer growth is bright red.  Good winter interest.

28

Wax Myrtle

Morella cerifera

6-9

15x15

Moist/well-drained soil/full sun

E

Evergreen; Suckering; Very durable and tolerant of a wide range of conditions; Drought tolerant; Good for hedges.

29

Soft Rush

Juncus effuses

6-9

2’-3’

Wet/moist/dry

Full sun/part shade

E

An easy to grow evergreen ornamental grass

30

Weeping Yaupon

Ilex vomitoria ‘Pendula’

7-10

20x15

Varied soil/full sun

E

Weeping habit (female in show); Needs male yaupon for pollination.


 

31

Path Rush

Juncus tenuis Willd,

2-9

18”x18”

Full Sun to Shade

E

An easy to grow partial evergreen ornamental grass

32

Yellow Twig Dogwood

Cornus sericea 'Flaviramea'

2-8

4x6

Wet/Moist soil /Sun

E/M

Suckering shrub good for wet areas. Best in cooler climates.  New growth is bright yellow

33

Canadian Hemlock

Tsuda canadensis

4-8

80x30

Moist/well-drained soil /full-part sun

E/M

Better adapted to cooler conditions in the north and mountain areas

34

Creeping Phlox

Phlox subulata

‘Candy Strip’

3-8

3”x24”

Full Sun/dry

E

An easy to grow ever-green dense ground cover. Pink/white flowers in spring.

35

Weeping Redbud

Cercis canadensis ‘Covey’

5-7

5x8

Moist/well-drained soil /full-part sun

E/M

Weeping habit; Moderate growth; Good specimen

 


Southeastern Flower Show 2003

Landscape Division

East Meets South - Konnichiwa Ya’ll

Misc Info Sheet 

Footnote Letter

Japanese Landscape Feature/Prop

Translation

If applicable

A

Soan

The simple thatched roof Tea House that is the apotheosis of tea architecture. The roof is hand made of Broomsedge roof.

B

Wind Chime Tranquility Symbol

 

C

Chiriana

Dust pit

D

Tsukubai

Arrangement of stones found in the tea garden that includes a water basin (chozubuchi) used to purify hands and mouth before entering the tearoom

E

Chozubachi

The water laver or purification basin

F

Roji, inner

Starts after second threshold (bridge)

G

Roji, Outer or Soto roji

Outer roji;  path after the outer gateway (soto-mon)

H

Sukashi-gaki

See through fence or open lattice fence hand made of Rivercane, Willow, and Tulip tree

I

Roji

Literally ‘dewy path’

J

Tobi-ishi

Step stones

K

Chu-mon

Middle gate; marks the division of outer-roji and inner-roji

L

Ryu-mon-baku

Dragon’s gate water fall; also dry water fall

M

Ishidoro

Stone lantern

N

Ryu-sui

Stream like sand patterns

O

Kokoro shaped sand area

The written character, meaning ‘enlightened heart’;

P

Kare-san-sui

Dry mountain water

Q

Sanzon-ishi-gumi

An arrangement of three stones in a triangular form that represent the Buddhist trinity.

R

Shumisen

The central, immovable mountain of Buddhist cosmology;

S

Koshi-kake-machiai

Waiting bench

T

Fumiwake-ishi

Large junction stone

U

Soto-mon

Outer gateway to Tea Garden (first threshold of the roji)

V

Necklace- Japanese Love Pendant