Empty nester created a Japanese garden with authentic teahouse at her Preston home
Take a look inside my delightful hidden Japanese garden, which I created at my Preston home after my kids all flew the nest.
Meet the Preston woman who built her own Japanese garden - complete with an authentic teahouse.
Linda Kidd created the immaculate garden at her home in Treales, after being inspired by a DIY book she received as a Christmas gift.
Tranquil Japanese garden in Treales
Linda explains: “Somebody gave me a book how to make a Japanese garden for a Christmas present and my interest grew from there. The more I read and the more I Googled, the more I wanted to get it as authentic as possible.”
Now, the empty-nester has a gorgeous tranquil outdoor space to relax in, surrounded by rocks, water and green plants that feels like ‘just paradise’.
Authentic tea house
She named it ‘Little Kyoto’ - and opens the space up to the public to raise money for charity.
Linda even built an authentic tea house - an outhouse designed to be used for tea ceremony (chanoyu) gatherings.
A tea ceremony is a ‘mindfulness’ practise designed to foster harmony, respect, and tranquillity through the ritualistic preparation and presentation of tea.
‘I go to Japan every day’
And she remembers having a ‘wonderful’ experience during the lockdown. Linda adds: “There was no aeroplanes, there was no traffic. I was the only lucky one that could go to Japan every day.”
Linda says her love for Japanese culture lies in the respect they have for nature.
Full moon reflection
Lanterns are all strategically placed as you enter from the courtyard garden through the ‘moon gate’ - which leads down to the ‘moon bridge’.
“The moon has great significance to the Japanese. It’s called the moon bridge because when the moon shines on it at night into the clear water it's the reflection of the full moon.”
Watch a video above for a look around Little Kyoto.