00:00What started as a family day out has grown into a remarkable project that's now attracting attention from around the
00:06world.
00:07A Bristol father spent years transforming his garden into an elaborate Japanese-inspired landscape complete with teahouses, bonsai trees and
00:14koi ponds.
00:15Hidden behind an ordinary suburban home in Bristol is a garden that transports visitors thousands of miles away.
00:22With carefully shaped bonsai trees, traditional style structures, flowing water features and peaceful spaces designed for reflection, Martin Fitton's garden
00:32has become a tribute to Japanese landscape design and culture.
00:35What makes it even more remarkable is that much of it's been created by Martin himself.
00:40The father of two began the project in 2009 after visiting Japanese gardens at Compton Acres with his family.
00:47Martin says he remembers seeing a traditional teahouse and deciding he wanted to recreate that feeling at home.
00:53From that moment he continued developing the garden, gradually adding new features and teaching himself the skills needed to bring
01:00his vision to life.
01:01Over the years, the garden's grown to include a teahouse, a monk's zen space, a water dragon feature, koi fish,
01:09bamboo structures, moss gardens, a relaxation area, a Japanese-style roof and even a replica of a famous Japanese temple.
01:17Martin estimates he's spent around £20,000 on the project, although he says he works hard to keep costs down
01:24by sourcing affordable materials and carrying out most of the construction work himself.
01:28One challenge, he says, is adapting materials available in the UK to achieve an authentic Japanese appearance, particularly when working
01:36with bamboo and traditional building techniques.
01:39The scale and detail of the project have attracted attention far beyond Bristol.
01:44Martin's gardens even become the subject of a feature by Tokyo TV, which later invited him to Japan for a
01:50week.
01:51During the trip, he worked with gardeners and monks learning traditional techniques and visited some of the country's most celebrated
01:57gardens.
01:57Among them was Adachi Museum Gardens, which Martin describes as the best garden in the world.
02:03He says many of the locations felt familiar because elements of his own garden had been inspired by them long
02:09before he had the chance to visit Japan himself.
02:12Back home, the gardens become a destination for visitors interested in Japanese design and gardening.
02:17Martin regularly opens it to the public, offering refreshments, with proceeds going directly back into maintaining and developing the site.
02:25Several times each year, he also opens a garden for charity events, donating profits to the National Garden Scheme.
02:32Martin says even now the project continues to evolve.
02:35Inspired by a trip to Kyoto, he's already transformed his front garden into a dry riverbed landscape and is now
02:42preparing to build what he describes as a massive new waterfall feature beside his pond.
02:47For Martin, a simple idea, sparked during a family day out, has become a lifelong passion, bringing together craftsmanship, creativity
02:56and a love of Japanese garden design.
02:59Thank you so much for that awesome foundation for participating in the community of Christianity.
02:59Thank you so much for meeting us and 알ganberg.
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