Terrace Update XXV

When we returned in early August from our business trip, the terrace had started looking like a jungle. Thanks to a typhoon, part of July had been wet and relatively cool, so instead of shriveling up in the heat, the plants had put in a growth spurt. Especially the olive tree seemed to have appreciated the climate, but also the lantana plants had become huge. As already customary, I spent the first few days after my return unwinding morning glory vines from trees and rewinding them where they belong.

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Green Tokyo (11) – Statue Collection

Green Tokyo (11) - Statue Collection

This example, also found in our Taito neighborhood, is more notable for its eclectic stone decorations than for its plants, but green it is nonetheless! Tokyo’s roadsides are always good for a surprise.

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Terrace Update XXIV

Since last time, I went through a period of caterpillar trouble. For a while, entire leaves were munched away on a regular basis. I almost lost my sunflowers and a pepper plant to the little beasties. But in the meantime, the little creatures seem to have moved on from the caterpillar stage. I also had an ongoing battle with the slugs over the wild strawberries. But since it got hot a while ago, the slugs are having a tough time now. The strawberries have been quite amazing this year.

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Terrace Update XXIII

Peas, salad with soramame and pecorino, soramame

The spring vegetables are all eaten up now: peas, soramame, salad. I consider all of them a success. The radishes remained below expectations in size (they count as the easiest thing ever to grow, but somehow they’re not working out for me), but at least they taste good. The mint has been growing so vigorously that as a means of control we had to resort to preparing an Indian-style mint dip.

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Terrace Update XXII

During the last month, things have picked up on the terrace. The trees have turned green, and everything is growing fast. The azaleas have put on a beautiful show of pink and white blossoms. Only the magnolia has decided to skip blooming and moved to green leaves directly
Also the vegetable garden is doing well: these days, homegrown salad and sugar snaps are on our menu.

Mixed greens - Azalea - Sugar Snaps

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Green Tokyo (10) – Roadside Jungle

Green Tokyo (10) - Roadside Jungle

What from far looks like a massive overgrown chunk of jungle on the side of a busy street actually turns out to consist of a collection of individual pots of all sizes. Many of the plants present I more think of as houseplants, a fact which probably contributes to the jungly appearance.
I am always amazed how Tokyo residents set up their own piece of jungle somewhere in public space. But if there’s one thing of which there is too little here in Tokyo, it’s green. So keep going, folks!

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Green Tokyo (9) – Urban Farming

Green Tokyo (9) - Urban Farming

These people like to eat their home-grown vegetables. And they grow them with simplest means, from mere styrofoam boxes, making use of every bit of space under the stairs.
How about some fresh tomatoes or egg plants? Next to the window, bitter melons were climbing up in summer. I like the message this arrangement sends: with a little bit of good will, everyone can have fresh vegetables, even if you live in Tokyo, even if you don’t have a garden, and even if you don’t even have a decent pot.

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Green Tokyo (8) – The Succulent Collection

Green Tokyo (8) - The Succulent Collection

Also this example of urban green in Taito City is a bit on the unusual side. At least for me, it was the first time to find a collection of cacti on the curbside. But I’m all for variety, as long as it’s green!

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Terrace Update XIIX

While last year at the same time I had been raving about the good climate of this time of year, and how well everything was growing, this year I’m not so sure. It has remained hot for longer and then cooled down more quickly. And then all the typhoon-induced rain… I’s all the fault of the La Niña event, which will probably also bring an especially cold winter to Japan.

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Green Tokyo (7) – Curbside Water Gardens

Green Tokyo (7) - Curbside Water Gardens

This collection of pots found in our neighborhood in Taito surprised me even more than usual: instead of just the usual flower pots, there are buckets full of water with all sorts of floating plants growing happily in them.

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