I have discovered the wonders of google translate to great effect…and I am translating all sorts of non-English sites to find and bring you daily gardens from the world over.  (365 days of daily gardens is not easy!!) (and I also now know the word ‘garden’ in three languages that I previously did not — it goes with my verbal collection of the the word beer in over 15 languages).

I am fascinated by the fact that in Hebrew there are 4 words for garden and I am wondering if this is like the Eskimos with hundreds of words for snow?  Here is garden in Hebrew ….don’t ask me how to pronounce… but I would love to know the nuances of each if you happen to be Hebrew fluent.

גִנָה

גַן

בּוּסתָן

כֶּרֶם

This garden in Ramat Gan belongs to garden designer Robin Forman who was born and raised in England.  He  studied garden design there, but now lives in Israel.

If anything infuriates Foreman, it is the Israel government policy on water savings. “What you do now is to create fear and reluctance of any gardening subject,” he says. “Like a garden is a wasteful practice.”…”We need to educate the public to save water and not give up gardens, which are so important in warm and dry rather Israel”.   While I am not up on water restrictions in Jerusalem, I am interested to hear that the restrictions there are having the effect of discouraging gardens.

All images from here.

This garden is particularly water wise and Forman has even gone so far as to replace the grass with astro turf, something he also advocates for many of his clients.  It certainly seems like a lush beautiful place to relax — far different from the visions I otherwise have of Israel (a place I have never been) that I get on the nightly news.

What are you loving about this garden?