“Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help. Gardening is an instrument of grace.” ~May Sarton I’ve spent the past week restoring the Japanese garden that’s tucked away in a corner of our backyard. My small garden oasis was inspired by the much larger Asian garden I’ve admired for years at Cranbrook House and Gardens in Bloomfield Hills. I even wrote a story about it, which was published in Victoria. Given their simple and restrained aesthetic, Japanese gardens require regular pruning, weeding, and trimming. Over-planting — which adds cottage charm to other garden styles — doesn’t…