Steve Snedeker’s Landscaping and Gardening Blog

(click pictures to enlarge……..for some…..a lot!)

This trip was a revelation to me. In spite of the fact that I have lived here on and off for 6 years, I am truly ashamed to say I had never visited this gorgeous garden. Wow! is all I can say. I am dumb. This garden is one of the most highly-ranked Japanese Gardens in the entire world and, without doubt, deservedly so. I have actually been to Japanese Gardens in Japan - Kyoto, in fact - so my failure to take this one in deserves a special sock in the chops for missing it. It was quite a revelation.

Fortunately, it was a warm and sunlit day here in late September - almost too warm in fact. We had some eastern winds (our version of Santa Ana’s) which brought the heat of the desert in and made my huge walk just a bit more challenging than I had figured it would. I put in about 5-6 miles before even landing at the Garden, I so enjoyed Washington park, inside which is this Garden, along with the Rose Garden across the street. But the peaceful serenity and the amazing eye candy upon entering was the perfect salve for the tired legs and flagging spirit I encountered briefly, before entering. My camera was very busy!

The simple fact is that there is literally so much to appreciate here, it dazzles the senses. As someone who had always appreciated the gorgeous and simple lines inherent in most Japanese Gardens. I was blown away with any number of things. For one thing, there is some sort of water just everywhere. Running creeks, some good sized lakes - there is more water in this particular garden than in any it has been my good fortune to see. Small waterfalls of a most placid sound and sight, leading to still ponds full of Koi.

Since I am dealing only with the aspect of water in the garden in this episode, I must pay my deepest respects to one of the single most beautiful waterfalls I have literally ever seen. This materializes out of the woods, as it were, in an extremely logical place, supposedly draining the mountainous hillside to its rear.

I took pictures from a few different angles, to try and capture not only its fairly impressive size, but also the utterly organic sense it provides, coming as it does off the nearby mountainside. Nor does the sound of it even matter - somehow it is not oppressive nor overwhelming in any way. I guess it is distant enough to stop all that. It seems to blend so well, it actually just seems - aurally - just another organic piece in a bigger puzzle. It does not stand out in any way but visually. But man, for this waterfall maven, it knocked my socks off. I absolutely love it in every way.

Seen here (above) we see the falls in the distance from the top of a nearby hill. Vantage points for these falls are everywhere, seen between the trees and the stupa sculpture below, complete with real, authentic tourists like me:

And that’s not all the gorgeous and settling water around this Garden. Here are a few other looks at more intimate settings, all of which grant a peaceful flow to this gorgeous park.

From the smallest and seemingly insignificant dripping effects of a bamboo water tube:

To a far more natural and extremely unique feast for the eyes:

The water features and the placements in general of flora and natural features represents the very best in the art of Japanese Gardens. I will close today with these pictures, focusing on water and those who live in it: