Dad spends $25,000 turning backyard into stunning Japanese garden

By Lauren Beavis

A dad has spent $25,000 transforming his backyard into a stunning Japanese garden.

Martin Fitton, 58, began the epic project back in 2009 and has been adding authentic Japanese features ever since.

From a teahouse to a water dragon, a monk's Zen space and perfect bonsai trees — Fitton's Bristol garden transports him and fellow visitors to the lush green landscapes of rural Japan.

Fitton's garden has even sparked the interest of Japan's Tokyo TV — who decided to create an entire feature on it.

The team also flew Fitton out to Japan for three days in February this year and brought his "dream to life" by taking him around some of the best Japanese gardens in the world.

The dad-of-two said: "It has all come as quite a shock — one moment I'm building my garden and the next I'm being flown out to Japan to work with gardeners, monks and learn how to tie bamboo knots!

"The places they took me to were absolutely amazing and I couldn't believe it because they would take me somewhere and I would say, 'oh wow this is a place I based part of my garden off'.

"It's as if they were watching over me, saw what I was doing and then planned my dream.

"I am overwhelmed with the attention and I get a lot of people contacting me through my Facebook page, YouTube channel and website saying I have given them inspiration to go out in their gardens and create their own Japanese garden or finish something they started years ago.

"They also say after seeing my Facebook posts and reels they feel calm, happy and take their mind off problems in their life."

Fitton first visited Japan last year with his wife, Cydnie, for three weeks.

When he later visited with the TV Tokyo film crew, he was taken to Adachi Museum of Art — the best garden in the world.

Fitton was first struck with inspiration for his unique garden 16 years ago when he took a trip to Compton Acres with his family.

He said: "I remember walking through the Japanese gardens and seeing the tea house and thought, 'wow, I am going to create this at home'.

"I then continued on with the Japanese theme ever since and have taught myself."

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Fitton opens up his fantastic garden to the public — where he can show off the koi fish, bamboo features, moss gardens, relaxation garden, Japanese-style roof and a replica of a famous Japanese temple.

He also offers cakes, tea and coffees — with all the returns going right back into garden features and maintenance.

Three times a year he will open it especially for charity, and donate all of the profits to the National Garden Scheme.

In the last year, Fitton even transformed his front garden into a dry riverbed paradise — based on his experience working with gardeners for three days in Kyoto and inspired by more rocks and small plants he saw while visiting Japan.

It took him just 16 hours.

He builds nearly everything himself, and sometimes has to "get creative" when authentic materials from Japan are not available in the U.K.

He said: "The only downfall is using the materials we have available here in the U.K. and then transforming them to create the look.

"That is the hard bit — but it's so rewarding when it works.

"The Japanese obviously build a lot from bamboo — which is useful for them but hard for us due to the quality and accessibility of the trunks here and intricate skills required to master it."

Despite spending around $25,000 on his garden — Fitton says the gardening itself has been created on a small budget.

He said: "I often try to find the best materials the cheapest I can and build it myself which saves a lot of money.

"I don't earn a penny on it — everything I get goes back into the garden."

South West Koi have also supplied Fitton with the filter that has inspired him to build a new waterfall — his next exciting feature —

He said: "I am going to build a massive waterfall into my pond.

"I've already got the rocks lined up!"