Monty Don's Japanese Gardens

Episode 1

Spring

59 mins

Monty's exploration of Japanese spring gardens doesn't start in Japan, but rather in Britain in a brief discussion of the history of the British fascination with things Japanese. Once in Japan, he first examines plants important in the Japanese spring garden, first and foremost being the Japanese cherry, its renown of the blossom which is fleeting for only a week or so but which he does arrive in time for. Another is the Japanese pine, which is meticulously pruned to mimic its appearance in the wild, with its structure as important as its negative space. Another plant, the bane of many a British garden, but which is revered in Japan is moss in its many varieties. Another important element in the Japanese garden are stone structures, and as such he visits a stone masonry operation. Another important element is water and bridges, not only in the practical issue of crossing water, but in the development of islands within those water elements. He then examines two types of gardens associated with more ritualistic and/or spiritual aspects of Japanese culture, namely zen gardens and tea gardens. With the former, he learns the art of the daily ritual of raking gravel, the process which is as important as is the final product. He ends his trip in discussing small space gardening, space which is at a premium in Japan. The ultimate expression of such is the art of ikebana, or Japanese flower arranging.