Living with Trees

February was a bit tough in terms of energy, as we didn't get much of the sun's blessings due to the snow and rain! That was the story from two posts ago.

After the snowfall at the beginning of February, the long-awaited landscaping work began just as a stretch of unseasonably warm days arrived.

This time, let's step away from off-grid topics and talk about something a bit softer (^^)/

・Exterior work limited to minimal paving

Our house is located in a typical residential area, so the houses are lined up close to one another. The standard look for boundaries between neighboring properties and the street is to have several tiers of concrete blocks and fences, but I felt that this made our already small lot look even more cramped.

While that is common when considering security and maintenance, our home also serves as a model house. Since I want many people to be interested in it, I wanted to create an open-minded atmosphere without clear divisions if possible!

Therefore, we kept the exterior construction to minimal paving and left the soil exposed on the south and west sides facing the road.

We planned to leave it as an open space without clear boundaries and plant trees instead. The floor plan of the house itself, as well as the placement of the windows, were decided with this premise in mind.

・Inspired by the Musashino woodlands

I once lived in a high-rise apartment where I couldn't see any trees from inside, and the view from the window, which never changed with the seasons, was quite dull. When you arrange trees around your home and can look out at the greenery from inside, you can feel the changing of the seasons close by, which makes for a rich experience. Trees add beautiful color to our lives by blocking strong sunlight from entering the house in the summer when the leaves are lush, and shedding their leaves in the winter to let in the warm sun. This also works well with the passive design of the house. Our home is located on the outskirts of the Tama area in Tokyo, near the Sayama Hills, which served as the model for the 'Totoro Forest'.

I found a landscaper who could create such a natural-looking garden even before it was officially decided that we would build the house.

They were close to our home, specialized in creating gardens with mixed trees, were about the same size as our design office, and gave me the impression that they were careful, responsive, and trustworthy.

We met, received a plan, and decided on it immediately, sticking almost entirely to their initial proposal. We asked SORRA Co., Ltd., which is also located in Higashimurayama City, to handle the work.

・The season of dazzling fresh green has come around

The landscaping work was completed in late February, with the instruction to 'make sure to water them every day for a while after completion.'

Then, as if waiting for the planting to be finished, the unseasonably warm weather took a turn. We had about a week of long rain caused by a stalled front, which is rare for February.

As an off-grid home, we were in a pinch due to the lack of sunlight, but for the plants, it was a blessing of rain. When your perspective changes, even rainy days become something to look forward to.

And now, about two months since completion.
Every day, new buds are swelling one after another on the branches visible from the window, and it has become a season of dazzling fresh greenery.

Green leaves flourishing in summer, autumn foliage, and the rich colors of the four seasons.
Living with trees has become a small daily joy.

kame: How to live in an off-grid house