This is a shady area, and we thought it might be a nice thing to add a moss garden area. Here is the design:

http://www.odla.nu/album/data/mrnorth/1431_p25611.jpg

Please have a look and tell us what you think.

Also, we plan to build a pond, what kind of stones are the most appropriate? We have two kinds available

1) Sharp edged rocks from blasting, looks like granite, but are very sharp and dont look so good

2) Rounded soft shaped stones ´that have been formed when scandinavia was covered with ice. They look like sand stone or something like that. Color is yellow-red.

We plan to use the stones for edging the pond, and to build a small waterfall ( with two stones that the water will flow on before it hits the pond.

But we are most interested with your thoughts on the moss garden.

kind regards

As a basic rule use rocks of one type but if one of your sharp-edged rocks is so characterful it suggests an arrangement (emperor above subjects etc) you could mix and match. It's an artistic task really and if you can hand pick your rocks at the quarry all the better.

Moss should do fine with your pines if it gets shade and moisture.

We use mainly rounded rocks in our garden since it is much easier to obtain... we can ask our "digger" and he will bring the tractor scoop full of them.

At one side of the house we have added round rocks about 8-14 cm in diameter as a bed about 50 cm wide (from the house wall and out)... We have then planted some ferns and bamboo... its really nice, however it may look a bit too constructed for a japanese garden :(

Oh, today the digger made out pond! We added a shallow area where the pond will be located. However we have a BIG problem. Neither of us have never designed a *small* waterfall. The shallow area in the pond is about 1x1m and there we thought about making a "hill" about40 cm high...

But we have no idea how to construct the waterfall. We have several books on japanese garden design... but neither of them cover HOW to place the stones... or what kind of stones... We use the same round stones (somewhat flat) but it looks like a stair of stones, not like a natural waterfall :(

If u know any links to websites that deal with waterfall design, or if u have some pics of your own waterfalls??

I guess a real japanese gardener would laugh at our attempts ;) We just want a natural way to keep the water flowing, instead of a cheap fountain!

If we can't make the waterfall look good, can we use perhaps a hollow bamboo and just add water in teh pond that way? Like:

1) Make a nice looking bamboo with a cut edge.

2) cobnect a hose from teh pump to teh bamboo.

3) Pladce the bamboo at one of teh edges, and cover the hose with rocks...

4) Done!

just our thoughts

/the happy couple