Rather Fine Dai Sugi

28th March 2014 : Anyone who knows me knows that Dai Sugi are never far from my mind. In fact, sugi was the first tree name our boy Digby learned. Here are 3 old scanned pictures from Kyoto. Cryptomeria japonica (usually var radicans in this case) is one of the few conifers that sprouts well when cut back hard… Read More

Tondabayashi

27th March 2014 : Planning our next trip to Japan - hopefully to coincide with a bit of cherry blossom - I came across these pictures from a previous, early November, trip. Tondabyashi, not the most remarkable of towns, is full of surprises:     Read More

Marqueyssac Revisted - in the mist

19th March 2014 : A misty morning in the Dordogne, almost five years ago: I think I've got the spelling right, but don't ask me to pronounce it. I'd arrived early to try and get nice early morning light, but instead got heavy mist until about 10 in the morning. Very atmospheric. I think this last image of… Read More

Japanese Zen Gardens: a review

10th March 2014 : I was asked to review Yoko Kawaguchi's new book Japanese Zen Gardens (Frances Lincoln) by Anne Wareham at Thinkingardens.  Here's what I had to say. Picture of Ryoan-ji by Alex Ramsay taken from the Telegraph  New books on Japanese gardens fill me with anticipation, a mixture of excitement and… Read More