Our tropical backyard garden journey begins today, and it’s a very exciting day. For a long time, we’ve dreamed of transforming our small backyard here in Jepara, Indonesia, into a space that truly feeds our family and our soul. And today, we’re making that dream a reality.
We’re calling this project NaraMora, a name inspired by our daughter, Nara, and Amora, which means love . It’s a reminder that this journey is all about family, love, growth, and creating something meaningful together.
We are not expert builders, and we are not professional gardeners. We are just a family with a vision, and we want to take you along for every step of this backyard transformation—the successes, the mistakes, and all the lessons we learn along the way.
More Than Just a Dream, It’s a Choice
In a world that moves so fast, it’s easy to lose connection with the things that matter most. This project is our way of slowing down. It’s a conscious choice to create a sanctuary where we can get our hands dirty, watch things grow, and share meals that come from our own soil. It’s about creating memories, not just a garden. We believe that a small patch of earth has the power to bring a family closer together.
Our Plan: The NaraMora Blueprint
Here is the full plan we’ve designed for our 96-square-meter yard. It’s an ambitious plan, and we’ll be doing it one project at a time. We have no worry on when to complete it, it’s not a race, it’s a journey…
- Raised Bed Gardens: Our journey will start here, with building and planting our own raised beds. This is our first step into small-space gardening.
- Productive Ponds: We envision two distinct water systems. One will be a productive aquaponics setup with Giant Gourami to fertilize the plants. The other will be a tranquil Koi pond, the aesthetic heart of the yard.
- Outdoor Kitchen: We’ll build an outdoor kitchen centered around a smoker and grill, the hub for turning our harvests into family feasts.
- Deck & Dining Area: We’ll craft our own deck and furniture, creating a space for gathering that’s inspired by our Jepara roots.
We are NOT a full time farmer, so this project will take a long time, and we enjoy that. We are a furniture manufacturer, so once a while along the way, we will display our furniture in our garden.
Our Tropical Backyard Garden Journey: Embracing the Challenge
Gardening in a tropical climate like ours in Jepara presents its own unique set of challenges and rewards. The intense sun, the high humidity, and the heavy rainy season are all factors we have to consider in our design.
We’ll be documenting how we manage pests organically, how we choose plants that thrive in the heat (and of course that we’d like to eat), and how we can use techniques like companion planting to create a healthier, more resilient garden. This is a journey of learning and adapting to our beautiful, but demanding, environment.
The Adventure Starts Now
This website will be our living journal for this entire project, and maybe add a video channel along the way. The very first item on our list is designing and budgeting for the raised beds. We’re excited to start this DIY garden project and share the real, unfiltered process with you.
If you’ve ever dreamed of creating a backyard that feels truly alive, we invite you to follow along from the very beginning. You can learn more about the philosophy behind our project on our About Page.
This isn’t just about us building a backyard. It’s about inspiring others to slow down, gather often, and grow something meaningful.
Welcome to NaraMora. The journey starts now.