I live in the Sagami Bay coastal area. We're not far from the beach, between two nearby rivers--the Hikichi and the Sakai. We have a narrow yard surrounding our house which is full of flowering plants, herbs, fruit trees and shrubs, and a small vegetable garden. We don't use any pesticides or chemical fertilizers. We are very proud of our massive wooden compost receptacle which is full of all sorts of creepy crawlies.