Hmm, which branch next?
アメリカから来た時に、この新しい生活の中で色々と慣れなければならない事がありまして、その一つは庭です。シアトルの家の庭は何年間やっていたらやっとどの花が気候に合うか、木はどうやって剪定するか、それぞれの植物はどの形が良いか等、ある程度分かってきました。
この亀清旅館に引越ししてきて、庭に関してまたゼロから始まりました。信州の気候や日本の庭の「ルール」は改めて勉強、慣れしなきゃと。そしてどの雰囲気が良いか？日本「庭園」の硬いスタイル火、信州や「旅館」の本来の目的：リラックスに合わせてもっと自然なスタイルか。中庭のある木は今までプードルスタイルでした。プードルは、所々に毛を丸いふわふわに残して丸と丸の間は骨々の剃った部分と言うスタイルは良くあるじゃないですか？この木は先っぽに葉っぱを丸い固まりで残していて、間は骨のような太い枝。もっと自然な見た目が良いのではないかと思って、わざと伸ばしました。今日は久しぶりに剪定してみたけど、どの枝を切って、どれを残すかと言う判断は難しいね。
ガーデニングはうんと好きですが、「慣れ」と言うのもあるし、旅館の若旦那として他の所に力を入れるべきかと言う悩みになりました。
Since moving from the States to Nagano, there has been a lot to get used to and to learn. One of the biggest for me has been gardening. Back at our house in Seattle, over the years I gradually got to know what flowers did best in that climate, how to trim the trees, and what shapes the plants should be. Moving to Kamesei Ryokan meant starting all over again from scratch, with the different climate and Japan's gardening "rules". Plus, I've had to get a feel for what style of gardening would match Kamesei -- a strict, traditional "Japanese Garden", or a more natural one that would reflect the relaxing tone of our inn as well as all the beautiful nature that surrounds us.
One tree in the naka-niwa garden is a point in case. I had called it the poodle tree. You know how people cut poodle dogs' hair so that it's poofy in spots and shaved down to the bony skin in others? This tree had round poofs of leaves bare, "bony" branches in between. I wanted a more natural look for it, so I let the branches grow a year. Today I got out the clippers and tried my hand at trimming it. I tried to figure out which branches to leave and which to trim. There sure is an art to trimming.
While I enjoy gardening like this, I also have to determine, as the owner of the inn, if this is the best use of my time. Just one more thing to worry about...
信州戸倉上山田温泉の亀清旅館のＨＰはこちらClick here for the website of Kamesei Ryokan in Nagano.
