Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Japanese Garden At Huntington Library Reopens With A Splash


The Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens recently reopened
 its newly renovated Japanese garden on April 11th.


The $6.8 million renovation celebrates the centennial anniversary of


this garden, which began in 1911.


This nine acre garden is 


popular and quite busy on this Sunday afternoon in late April.


A few years ago I visited this garden for the first time


 when numerous plum, cherry and peach trees were in bloom, 


which is typically between January and April, 
according to the Huntington website. It was gorgeous.
It is always a great time to visit a Japanese garden in Spring.


But it is serene and quite beautiful at any time.
For now, however, we can enjoy the Japanese maples


and this fringe tree in bloom.


The garden has several water features


including this new $1 million waterfall high above the stroll garden 


and the tea house that was shipped all the way to Kyoto 
to be renovated by the son of the original builder and then shipped back and reassembled on site.


In the peaceful Zen garden, lined on the opposite side with ginkgo trees,
 water is represented by raked dry gravel.


But the best moment of my visit occurred at this most simple
of water features next to the teahouse


where this happy Western bluebird visited several times 


and allowed me to snap away


while he splished and splashed himself in a bath!


This is GardenEnvy. 


          
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