Review: 10315 Tranquil Garden
Posted by Huw,
LEGO's desire to appeal to a broad demographic has resulted in some remarkable models being released that would have been unimaginable a few years ago, and 10315 Tranquil Garden is a good example.
I am quite surprised, however, that it's topping the list of most anticipated August releases, according to yesterday's poll, trumping all licensed sets and even the Corvette. There is clearly something about it that appeals to people, so let's find out what.
Summary
10315 Tranquil Garden, 1,363 pieces.
£94.99 / $109.99 / €104.99 | 7.0p/8.1c/7.7c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
A novel and attractive display model
- Detailed and extravogant scenery
- Trees can be rearranged easily
- None
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
The completed model
The model depicts a traditional Japanese garden scene inside a shallow pot like that used for bonsai trees. It's roughly minifig scale, although none are included.
A path leads from a square pavilion through the garden, over a bridge across a pond in which Koi carp are swimming, and lotus flowers are in bloom. It certainly looks tranquil and idyllic!
Several species of trees are growing, including two large cherry trees, two sizes of coniferous trees, a twisted deciduous, and bamboo. A stone pagoda and lanterns scattered throughout provide additional visual interest.
Arched red bridges called guzei are a common sight in Japanese gardens, symbolising the transition from the mortal world to a blissful place, in this case the pavilion.
The five large trees and the stone pagoda are mounted on 2x2 cubes which slot into corresponding holes in the garden to facilitate easy rearrangement.
The large coniferous tree uses the new 2682 PLANT, W/ PLATE 2X3X2, NO. 1 mounted upside down to good effect, and the smaller ones repurpose the NEXO Knights drill bit/Hogwarts spire piece, recoloured here in dark green.
The pagoda and pavilion both use the new 'turned up corner' piece on their roofs which was designed for 21060 Himeji Castle that I reviewed yesterday.
The pink and white of the cherry trees add a welcome splash of colour to the model. They needed the help of a bit of Blu-Tac to stay upright for this photo :)
The bare garden is a blank canvas with which you can create your own tranquil oasis, perhaps as part of your mindfulness routine that LEGO seems to think we all do!
The following photos show a few alternative layouts.
Construction
The garden itself is solidly constructed with several layers of plates, including various shades of green under the tiled water surface to give a sense of depth. The koi carp printed tiles that were first used in 80107 Spring Lantern Festival make a reappearance here.
Rubber tyres on the feet prevent the pot from sliding around the table.
The nicely detailed rocks on the left constructed using SNOT techniques are largely hidden once the pavilion has been placed above them.
The table laid out in preparation for a traditional tea ceremony in the pavilion is also hidden away in the finished model, although the top can be lifted off to gain access.
Verdict
This is a beautiful, well-designed and timeless model that will appeal to the discerning LEGO aficionado looking for a striking display piece to grace their shelf, sideboard or desk. Clearly many of you fit that description judging by yesterday's poll.
Its reconfigurability adds to the enjoyment, even if you don't practice mindfulness, and it could also be fun to make your own compatible trees to populate it with.
As far as value-for-money goes, I don't think £94.99 / $109.99 / €104.99 for 1,363 pieces is too bad. It's certainly better value than certain grey spaceships that have been revealed recently.
The completed model weighs 1.08kg, which gives a price per kilogram of £87 / $100. That's much the same as 21060 Himeji Castle.
It'll be available at LEGO.com from 1st August.
Oi! Get out of my garden!
222 likes
45 comments on this article
I’d argue that building Lego is an act of mindfulness alone - certainly for me it is, and as a way of winding down after a long days’ work.
Looks like a great set for this, and the ability to easily rearrange is a nice touch.
Wow - what a pretty set!!! How can I justify this to my better half…
Another set that is a winner.
Absolutely gorgeous. Obviously it will be cheaper after a while, so it would be sensible to wait but this, plus the Himeji Castle, might just break my logic and have me paying the 'get it early tax'.
This was on the shelf in John Lewis last week, but I made the mistake of thinking it would still be there when I went back a little later, by which time they had realised it wasn't supposed to be released for at least another week.
Really love the look of this set, and can't wait to build it now. Just this morning I purchased a 8804-2 Kimono Girl off ebay to go with it.
Kinda reminds me of the side temple from ninjago city gardens.
I however, am aiming for the temple of the dragon energy core,but this is still a stunning model.
There's a recreation of a Japanese garden like this o
In the Philadelphia Museum of Art which is an incredibly tranquil place to walk around. Reminds me of that a lot.
@chrisaw said:
"I’d argue that building Lego is an act of mindfulness alone - certainly for me it is, and as a way of winding down after a long days’ work.
Looks like a great set for this, and the ability to easily rearrange is a nice touch. "
Fully agree!
Good review of a very nice set!
Love the comment about „certain grey spaceships“!
I picked this up a couple days ago at a local Walmart (TX) and am enjoying the build very much.
I’m looking at this set and the undertale waterfall music is playing in my head on repeat
I really like that sort of set. It's relaxing just to look at it.
And no unnecessary licence to bump up the price. I can imagine this will be one of the best sellers of the year.
@huw I want those two in my garden : )
The flexing will never end.
I think the tranquil garden would be even more tranquil with a goatsai tree next to it.
I wonder when those 24122/49133 brown axle connectors will be available on PAB? Right now, my best options for trees are dark tan and black. I was going to go with black like Rivendell, but brown would be perfect. I suppose we won't see them until the end of this year/next year. They still haven't put up the new fern element either. I guess I'll try to to get them another time.
It's not surprising to me at all. Who needs another car. We have oodles of cars. Give me REAL variety.
Architecture x Botanicals = the collab I've been waiting for. What a lovely set. Now to determine if I want the bonsai or this for my desk.
hmm doesn't it feel, in real life, like a bit too small for 105-110 price tag?
I know that when this was revealed, I said I didn't really need it due to already having 10281 for my Zen needs, but this review has me reconsidering that decision. If I do get it, I'll probably get the Corvette first, though.
@dimc said:
"Architecture x Botanicals = the collab I've been waiting for."
And with the Archwarts set coming in September it's a very good time for Architecture!
@sjr60 said:
" @dimc said:
"Architecture x Botanicals = the collab I've been waiting for."
And with the Archwarts set coming in September it's a very good time for Architecture!"
The what.
@dimc said:
" @sjr60 said:
" @dimc said:
"Architecture x Botanicals = the collab I've been waiting for."
And with the Archwarts set coming in September it's a very good time for Architecture!"
The what. "
76419
Beautiful set. With Ninjago being a constant thing for 12 years now and with all the botanical and architecture sets that have been coming out for the last couple years and even longer than Ninjago respectively, I wasn't very keen on this on reveal.
But I was wrong. This is a nice model, looks great, creatively laid out, well-built and just all around well-sculpted.
As someone who isn't into display models (shocker, I know), this is not something I will be able to drop the 105 euro on. But it's great that it's there, and for once it's refreshingly not an exact recreation of any one thing again. With this we won't have to worry about minute details beyond design cues of places in this style and from this culture. That's always a plus!
@Binnekamp: I couldn't have said it better. Completely agree.
This set 10315 along with 10317 are my favourite sets of the year so far. I probably won't own either of them but they come with parts in new colours (I would love to own these two sets but like most people I have limited means and more importantly, limited space). The Land Rover has a bunch of different bracket sizes in sand green (still not available yet at pick-a-brick - fingers crossed for August). And 10315 comes with part 49755 (in the bridge) in bright red - I've been waiting for that part in that colour for a few years now - very happy!
I'm always somewhat happy with new sets, whatever the theme might be - they bring the chances of new parts or parts in new colours.
My son made a similar moc that he 'released' this May. I must that even though it's a nice set, I prefer his version. Have a look: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cs1ghkYMpJE/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Dont understand the hype. To me it looks kinda "meh"
Cant wait to get it later on sale. Such a lovely partpack
@sjr60 said:
" @dimc said:
" @sjr60 said:
" @dimc said:
"Architecture x Botanicals = the collab I've been waiting for."
And with the Archwarts set coming in September it's a very good time for Architecture!"
The what. "
76419"
That is a very beautiful set. I'm not planning to give JK any more money (and I have the big one from a few years back), but I would absolutely buy any of those done for Middle Earth. Maybe a nice Hobbiton, and Edoras, and Minas Tirith at the minimum.
Just looks boring. If I were to get it it would just be as a parts pack since it's the first Lego set in a long long time that has a descent price.
It’s very attractive.
Very much a set that could be at home in a lot of non-LEGO display areas, yet still fit right into traditional LEGO settings, like cities and such, with minor modifications to the edging.
Garmadon: There you go. You’re doing great buddy! Doing great. This is going real- GOAT!
(A mountain reaches above the clouds with a goat standing on the top. The goat screams as Lloyd approaches.)
Garmadon: Goat goat goat goat goat! Aaargh!
(Lloyd swerves but crashes into the mountain. The vehicle spins and drops out of the sky. It skids across the ground and the Ninja jump off before it drops off the edge of a cliff.)
Lloyd: Is everyone okay?
Jay: Not really.
(The Ninja gasp as they look up at the temple.)
Garmadon: Behold. The Temple of Fragile Foundations.
(The Ninja cry out as the ground shakes.)
Garmadon: The helicopter crash destabilised the entire area. And I'm not blaming anyone, but if I ever see that goat again, he and I are going to have words. And you can bet some of those words are going to have four letters, and I'm not talking about goat.
"There is clearly something about it that appeals to people"
There is, it's just simply BEAUTIFUL.
I think it's odd that TLC didn't include minifigs with this set, but I will totally forgive them since they made those 2 types of 33° slopes in dark brown.
The use of the mixel joints for the base of the bamboo looks pretty weird. I would have thought using a couple of clips and part 79194 (the stud with a bar on its back) would have also achieved the same thing but with much less grey.
A wee bit too childish for me - I'll stick with 10281 Bonsai Tree which sits in my lounge, emanating waves of relaxation...
It's a nice set.
Throw in the goats and I'll buy it.
@ResIpsaLoquitur said:
"There's a recreation of a Japanese garden like this o
In the Philadelphia Museum of Art which is an incredibly tranquil place to walk around. Reminds me of that a lot."
Yes, I thought of that too as soon as I saw this - the tea ceremony setup inside the building is what made me think of it, since that's the same focus of the display in the museum.
I like this set a lot and am seriously considering getting.
Given the target audience - which is not kids, and not traditional AFOLs - I can see why they didn't include minifigs. But I do appreciate that the set is in minifigure scale. Very clever, as it expands the potential customer base beyond the explicit target audience.
I may need this to pair with 41757 in a MOC. I can't be the only one thinking so...
Thank You for "price per kg" in verdict. I hope it will be constant element of reviews.
I like to compare price per kg to have feeling "what I get for certain money". Of course there is parameter of minifigs, license or wheels (in cars) but it place sets in some place on
>great value -> okay price -> expensive set> line :)
Of course would be easier if on set page would be weight of all pieces, not weight of whole box.
It might depict a Japanese garden, but this set's "pottery" base suggests this is a pengjing, literally "pot landscape," the Chinese art form that gave birth to bonsai. Pengjing depict a whole scene and feature multiple plants, unlike the singular bonsai.
@ozbrickcreator said:
"Garmadon: There you go. You’re doing great buddy! Doing great. This is going real- GOAT!
(A mountain reaches above the clouds with a goat standing on the top. The goat screams as Lloyd approaches.)
Garmadon: Goat goat goat goat goat! Aaargh!
(Lloyd swerves but crashes into the mountain. The vehicle spins and drops out of the sky. It skids across the ground and the Ninja jump off before it drops off the edge of a cliff.)
Lloyd: Is everyone okay?
Jay: Not really.
(The Ninja gasp as they look up at the temple.)
Garmadon: Behold. The Temple of Fragile Foundations.
(The Ninja cry out as the ground shakes.)
Garmadon: The helicopter crash destabilised the entire area. And I'm not blaming anyone, but if I ever see that goat again, he and I are going to have words. And you can bet some of those words are going to have four letters, and I'm not talking about goat."
Give us the first letter.
Just built mine. It is a lovely set and was surprised that the tea house was built first.
I think if I got this I’d build it on a Baseplate and put it next to my Spring Lantern Festival set. Looks lovely.
This one looks beautiful and is definitely going on the list! I might have to remove the bonsai tree to make space for it though..
@LoCo said:
"My son made a similar moc that he 'released' this May. I must that even though it's a nice set, I prefer his version. Have a look: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cs1ghkYMpJE/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA=="
Your son´s model looks twice as good as this set. But we have to admit, it would also cost twice as much, if offered as an official set. :)
So in the end I like them both and am satisfied with 10315. :) I think, I will buy this at a slight discount or with a nice GWP.
Thanks for the nice review, Huw!
And I really appreciate the addition of the price per kg as an additional aspect of value-for-money!