In Short:
I am lucky enough to have been selected to build this garden (see below) at a garden show in Japan!!! 
The garden is going to be situated at Huis Ten Bosch a Dutch Replica Village in Nagasaki opening on the 3rd of October.... Yes you read right!




So how did this come about?
I was travelling around in India a couple of years ago and ended up at a symposium on Culture in Landscape on a whim while on my way to a natural building workshop. Somehow I got thrown in with the presenters and a couple of days later I’m on the news with a lady called Yuko talking about the impact new industry was going to have on a bird sanctuary and lake in the state of Gujarat.
It turns out that Yuko was an Interpreter from the garden show in Japan and 2 years later I get an invite to put in a competition entry.  I put in an entry which was successful and now we are here.

More information about the show:
This is one of the largest garden shows in the world. Designers from 30 different countries have been chosen to come and build a garden to represent "My country, My culture".  I was lucky enough to be chosen along with Paal Grant (a mate of mine) also from Australia.

Where am I at now?
I sent over some of the elements by boat which should arrive there about now!! Cross your fingers for me.....  This included Stone from Eco Outdoor, a fire pit (below) and a metal fire pit and table that Prime Designs Metal Work helped me build.
A huge thank you to Sean Dowling from Bayon Gardens who is coming over to help with the construction.
I leave Australia on the 20th of September to start putting the garden together with the help of a construction team over there. I am very excited (and nervous) about this part.

If you would like to help out by way of providing rewards like the lovely Cat, Julie and Benny so have, let me know and I will pop them up.
For more information about this garden please visit this page.  To read an article written about me and this project visit here.

Cheese and Wine! (not really)

The quote from the contractor has come in at almost double the allocated budget,  The construction team is taking out elements of the design and changing others to cheaper alternative materials, and quicker construction methods.
The money raised will go mainly towards materials, labour, transportation and keeping me alive and lots of thank you presents for all of those people that help me out along the way.
As everything is going through a translator it is very hard to ascertain what exactly is going to happen when I arrive so this liquid asset will help get things done at the last minute.

Specific elements that have been taken out or materials substituted:
- The roofing structure
- Steel windows at the front
- Original plantings
- Lighting - I need this to help ensure safety of the public once the show opens

If we raise even more money I will be able to get more people to come and help with construction, use better materials and hopefully come up with a garden to be proud of.
If we raise even more money then I will go and learn about Japanese gardens while I have all of that amazing knowledge at my fingertips in Japan. 

Well let's not lie.  I can see a lot.  Not being able to understand the construction team is not going to be ideal.  Not knowing the customs and cultural aspects of working in someone's team in Japan could cause some problems.  Not having enough time to build this thing is a possibility.  

But I'm feeling pretty optimistic because things just seem to work out for me!