All that was left for the exterior was to make a suitable surround for the tea house.
A pleasing dark red acer was planted so as to provide a harmonious view from the round window.
I obtained a large quantity of horcot limestone shingle which was light in colour without being too white, which would have looked artificial. This was laid on a weed-resistant membrane, leaving 'islands' around the two eucalyptus trees.
I was also very fortunate to find some beautiful Pentland paddlestones which were ideal to form two stepping stone paths - one to the veranda and the other to the guest entrance.
I decided to put the interior on hold while I began work on the tea garden. However, I was still not happy with the rather 'blank' front wall. While the fact that the wall had to open meant that it was not feasible to have a real window, I wondered whether a 'dummy' window would improve the appearance. In the event, this is what I did, as can be seen in the later photos covering the build of the yotsume-gaki fence (see here).
Go back to the start of Walls and windows or go to the Build introduction.