Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-07-19
A JAPANESE GARDEN.

MANY Of US have looked longingly at
e'~ the tiny japanese gardens tempt.
ingly spread forth in the florists win
dows. But their price seems prohibitive
for such plaything-to some Of US. And
we stihe our longing for one of the gar
dens with firmness and a cheerful as
surance that they are but bauhles after
|alI. -
But one Of these little gardens can be
assembled at very little cost@f you buy
its component parts at Japanese shop
and put them together yourself.
The foundation must be a suitable
dish. One Of the real Japanese dishes
Is daintiest-a square dish, perhaps, ten
inches square. with upturning sides.
tinted green or gray or oyster. But q
dish that you happen to have on hand
may do instead Of a new one--if 1t 10
attractive. A small. white platter, with
fiat bottom. will do.
Then buy the component parts Of the
garden
First there must be a little mound Of
moss. This can be procured in the
woods-f there Is a woods, or you can
buy it at the Japanese shop. Then there
AAAAbS NO 0OIu0F pSUDlSD, from the sea.
shore. or from the japanese shop And
then there must be a piece Of a vegeta-
bic that sprouts quickly and attractively,
sending up little shoots that are sugges-
tive Of graceful trees. This is cut In
pieces, which are sold for 10 cents each.
Ordinary garden grass seed or q spoon
full Of canary bird seed of the mixed
variety can be sewed in the little messy
mound, or, IL you happen to have 1t,
In piece of coral.
Lay out little landscape, with
messy hill In the distance, an island or
two Of the japanese root, q pebbiy beach
better still, beach Of tiny shells, it
you have them. and two or three little
islands of pebbles and stones Perhaps
one big stone can serve as q rocky cliff.
After these parts Of the landscape are
quarter Of an inch of water. It is better
not to attempt any sandy beaches, as the
sand is almost sure to run into the ocean
and produce q mud puddle,
Now buy the furnishings of your land.
scape. There are bits Of fences made OF
twigs, with lighthouses perched aloft on
the fence spikes. that sell for is
cents. There =. =. are IRE, little Japanese cot
doors and windows and little lanterns-
all made Of clay-brilliant red ia a row
under the caves There are tiny iron
bridges for 10 cents. and various little
&AI04
price Of the regular stone
ornaments we see in Japanese gardens.
There are small stone gateways. and
equally attractive iron gateways, and
there are little pagodas. too.
4
Connect the islands with bridges. and
place the big cottage where there is the
most room. Put an archway in a good
nd nut ho
and other ornaments where thew show
to the best advantage Then either use
tiny sprigs from evergreen trees for trees
or else buy the little artificial trees. of
characteristic japanese shape, for 10 or
Is cents apiece. In the best little
gardens the dwarf evergreens and cacti
are used, but these are expensive and
not necessary for q good effect.
Buy q transparent red glass Ash and
q green one for the water, and a long
legged crane for the bank And a couple
Of tiny deer for your woods or copse win
add to the attractiveness Of the place.
Now come the people, and thew ara
fascinating. A little japanese woman,
hardly more than an inch high. with a
bundle of fagots on her back: a little
with a fishing rod held straight before
him. q squatting fisherman, q man with
'fagot-laden back-all these tiny figures
nodded In clay and charmingly coIored
are only Is cents apiece. And tIev
have real little smiles or frowns on their
faces, too. and real expression In their
little clay bodies.
At the flower show in New Yorl. CITY
last winter one OF the exhibits that at
tracted much attention was q Japanese
garden that measured ten or twelve feet
square It was made up of many little
farms and hills. valleys. streams and
rivers, all fitted up with tiny Japanese
furnishings. like those to be had in the
shops described. Any one who saw Il
must remember It. and must have been
charmed by 1t. But even that wonderfui
garden, In miniature REPRESENTING Janan
could not give more pleasure than q iittie
Japanese garden which you can msirs
yourself at cost Of two or three doiiars
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