patsylabrador Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 We're in the process of making a Japanese Tea Garden. I want a large area of it to be covered by moss. I don't think it's appropriate for the area I want to cover which is sunny and dry but I did see you can buy sedum rolls much like turf. Apparently it is OK on dry poor soil and is drought proof. It sounds like a lovely substitute. I was wondering if anyone else has used it for ground cover. It seems like it's usually used for green roofs. The base for my tea house is all ready, just waiting for it to be made and delivered. Another idea I've had is for this side of it to have a simple wooden bench, a bamboo and an Australian canvas bucket shower. So a sort of crazy little onsen. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 I have never used it for ground cover or seen it used as such, but I think as long as you can give it very good drainage it will grow OK, as sedums need good drainage to avoid rotting off in the wet seasons. However, walking on it may damage the leaves I would have thought as they are succulent? Perhaps give it a try on a small scale? A friend here is making an onsen, its taking an age (like years). He has lived in Japan and is converting part of the ground level of his house into one, but literally it is involving excavation, the exposure of ancient stone walls, and is being done by hand as and when he has time and money. His living accommodation is at the first floor, so its not in the way of his day to day life. He has such grand plans, but I am not sure I am going to live to see it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patsylabrador Posted June 25, 2020 Author Share Posted June 25, 2020 Thanks. I'm going to have stepping stone path in what I imagine as a 'valley' with the sedum on the slopes. There are so many elements to get right. It's all in my noodle doodle and hard to describe. I took the photo while I was taking a break at a foot onsen on Hokkaido. As you can see the weather was freezing but my feet were red hot. In fact my son told me that the entire town's hot water is fed by hot springs etc. I guess it has to go through some process so not free hot water but even so they always have lots of hot water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 That looks amazing! You will have to excuse my ignorance, but are you sitting around semi clothed when you are using a foot onsen? I can't quite imagine it as I have only used a European sort of foot spa thing in a bigger spa, so people were either nude, or in a towel, or in a costume. Having sedum on a sloping ground should work a treat, I was imagining it all on one level, but your idea is much better. I'd still dig in grit or stones or something if your ground isn't free draining. If you find the sedum are rotting off another thing you could do is layer gravel over the earth, then plant into the gravel so it protects the 'leaves' (I'm not sure if they are called leaves really as they are those sort of fleshy pockets!) from sitting on wet ground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patsylabrador Posted June 25, 2020 Author Share Posted June 25, 2020 Thanks again for the info. That's very useful. Yes, we had our jeans rolled up like we were paddling but up top we were dressed for winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 We used to have 2 different sedums at the old place, one yellow and one pinky red - they did run riot a bit and I was always pulling them up. Then the chickens found them. No more sedums! Wouldn't eat the real weeds though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willow Posted June 28, 2020 Share Posted June 28, 2020 Most sedums take like crazy as cuttings so you should be able to buy a small number of plants dotted around and keep sticking cuttings in (and when I say cutting, for sedums you just stick a bit that's broken off into the ground) Please keep posting pics sounds like a lovely idea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patsylabrador Posted July 1, 2020 Author Share Posted July 1, 2020 So far so good. Lots of stuff in place. I want to plant more ferns and bamboo and make it feel really enclosed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted July 1, 2020 Share Posted July 1, 2020 (edited) The OH of a friend of mine makes Japanese gardens. He made the one at Le Manoir au Quatre Saisons. Love the Tea House there. I’d love one, but don’t think it would survive the dog.... I’d like a sedum roof on our summerhouse. Edited July 1, 2020 by Patricia W 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted July 1, 2020 Share Posted July 1, 2020 Looking great 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted July 1, 2020 Share Posted July 1, 2020 Was at the Quatre Saisons a couple of years ago for MIL's surprise 50th anniversary! I loved the tea house. And then it stormed! But the following day (we were in the amethyst room - oh my goodness it was beautiful, thank you FIL!) we had a look around the orchards before going home. Patsylabby - beautiful garden! I have a zen garden - it's the vegetable patch - oh how I love my rake. It is really relaxing - my favourite part - except for harvesting and devouring the end results! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willow Posted July 2, 2020 Share Posted July 2, 2020 Looking good, I have wondered about turning the front garden into a Japanese/zen garden but I'm a bit concerned I'd need to keep it very tidy. I'm doing a big push on back garden this year so may come back to the idea next year, sedum instead of moss is such a good idea, my front garden gets a lot of sun so maybe 🤔 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted July 2, 2020 Share Posted July 2, 2020 That's looking really good 😊 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted July 2, 2020 Share Posted July 2, 2020 Very envious, PL. wonderful job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
