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The Japanese Garden

May 22, 2013 — 1 Comment

Nestled in the heart of the San Fernando Valley is a peaceful oasis where the balance of positive and negative forces, Yin & Yang, are ever present. The Japanese Garden showcases the skillful blending of traditional Japanese landscaping with modern Occidental architecture. The Japanese concept of “WA” or harmony is used to unite the desires of the human spirit with our more mundane requirements—the exquisite beauty of a Japanese garden with the need for an abundant supply of fresh water.

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Visit the garden to walk, to sit, and to contemplate your surroundings. To do so is to experience absolute tranquility, it is to enrich one’s spirit, to achieve a state of grace so elusive in our busy modern world. It is to emulate Lord Buddha who, three thousand years ago, seated in the shade of a tree in silent contemplation of the human condition, achieved spiritual enlightenment.

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Suiho En the garden of water and fragrance is a 6½ acre authentic Japanese garden fashioned after “stroll gardens” constructed during the 18th and 19th centuries for Japanese Feudal lords. The facility is unique in that it incorporates three classical designs: a dry karensansui, a wet garden with promenade chisen, and an authentic tea ceremony garden incorporating a 4.5 tatami mat tea room. The garden also features a waterfall.

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The garden is a cultural show place of Los Angeles. It was created by world-renowned garden designer Dr. Koichi Kawana. In designing, Dr. Kawana balanced the positive and negative forces with skillful blending of traditional Japanese garden design and modern Western architecture.

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The Gift Shop at The Japanese Garden features a wide array of well-priced items from Japan and other countries in Asia and the Pacific. Ceramics, books, dolls, jewelry, Buddha Boards, origami paper, parasols, handmade greeting cards, to name just a few… you’re sure to find the perfect gift for yourself, family or friends.

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WHAT: The Japanese Garden 
WHEN: The Garden is available for self-guided tours Monday – Thursday from 11:00 AM until 4:00 PM, and Sunday from 10:00 AM until 4:00 PM. The Garden is closed to the public on Friday and Saturday. They also offer docent-led walking tours, by advance reservation only, on Monday – Thursday mornings. Each tour lasts approximately 1-¼ hours and includes an overview of the water reclamation process.
WHERE: 6100 Woodley Avenue | Van Nuys, California, 91406

DETAILS: Admission to the Garden for docent-led or self-guided tours is $3.00 per person, $2.00 for Seniors 62 and over, and for children under 10 years old.

CONTACT INFO: (818) 756-8166 or betty.ethridge@lacity.org

SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook | Yelp

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Follow Up: Descanso Gardens Getaway

April 9, 2012 — Leave a comment

This past weekend I visited the Descanso Gardens with a group of friends. The Gardens are located right off the Glendale Freeway in a residential neighborhood. There is plenty of parking and beautiful trees line the lot. I recommend bringing water and don’t forget your camera; there are plenty of picturesque scenes and memories to capture and upload to your favorite social media.

We started our adventure at the Visitor’s Center where we picked up a map and  familiarized ourselves with the Gardens layout. We started at the Rose Pavilion and worked our way up to the lake and bird observation deck where we watched turtles swim and sun bath. The Pavilion is littered with gazebos, benches, fountains, and beautiful flowers.

There is also a children’s maze located in the Pavilion and lots of places to sit and ponder. We took that opportunity for a group picture.

After exploring the Oak Forest we worked our way down to the Japanese Garden and Tea House. This is probably one of the more popular places and for good reason. The house is tucked into the garden under large Oak Trees and a gentle stream flows though. This is also a good place to take a break from the heat and take some shade.

Next we visited the historic Boddy House and the Sturt Haaga Gallery that features a Vertical Garden. From here you get a good view of the valley and surrounding mountains.

After our garden adventure, we stopped in at Café Descanso, located near the Gardens entrance. The Café provides a relaxing outdoor patio and offers sandwiches, salads, dessert, kids fare, beverages, and luncheon specials such as the ‘Nature’s Table’ meals which include freshly picked vegetables and herbs right from the Descanso Gardens. The  Café is open daily (except Christmas) from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. To view the current menu, click here.

The Descanso Gardens are a great getaway destination for the whole family to enjoy. I recommend visiting and exploring this beautiful and educational garden; a hidden jewel in Los Angeles where you can unwind and take in natures bounty.

WHAT: Descanso Gardens
WHEN: Open daily from 9 am to 5 pm (last entry is 4:30 pm) except for Christmas
WHERE: 1418 Descanso Drive | La Cañada Flintridge 91011

CONTACT INFO: (818) 949-4200

Read the original article here.

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Descanso Gardens Getaway

March 26, 2012 — 4 Comments

Descanso has been described as “a garden of gardens.” Each garden has its own special charm. You can wander through the marvelous thickets of the camellia collection, decompress in the serenity of the Japanese Garden, enjoy the “eye candy” of the Promenade or take a stroll through the Rose Garden. The Descanso Gardens are a great and unique getaway for all to enjoy.

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Descanso Gardens visitors come in all ages. Avid gardeners stop to take note of plants, while “regulars” do their morning walk beneath the leafy oak canopy. Children scamper the paths and play while parents try to keep up. And lovers, young and old, are easy to spot, holding hands, sitting close on the many benches that dot the landscape. You can pick a garden, and create your own getaway.

The winding paths and shady nooks of Descanso Gardens invite you to wander, to linger, and to explore. Tram tours and the Enchanted Railroad offer a way to learn about the Gardens and see the highlights within a limited time frame. And visits to the Boddy House and Sturt Haaga Gallery offer a look at Descanso’s origins and its future.

Descanso Gardens is a unique Southern California landscape distinguished by its specialized botanic collections, historical significance, and rare natural beauty. The gardens mission is to offer you an experience close to nature; and cultivate understanding of the natural world and people’s place in it through inspiration, education and example.

A timeline of Descanso’s history may begin with Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo‘s Pacific expedition in 1542, but Native Americans have lived on the land around Descanso for far more than 500 years. First settling in Southern California some 10,000 years ago, the Tongva people occupied nearly all of present-day Los Angeles County, the northern parts of Orange County, and the nearby islands of Santa Catalina and San Clemente. In contrast to the Spanish name used today, which means “dry riverbed” (so-called because the Spanish arrived during a late summer drought), the Tongva name for the canyon, Hahamonga, means “the land of flowing waters, fruitful valley.”

The Descanso Gardens Gift Shop and Patio is a cozy, cedar-beamed complex near the entrance to the Gardens. The Gift Shop carries items of interest for all visitors: home gardening enthusiasts, landscape and interior designers, horticulturists and plant lovers everywhere. Merchandise in the Shop includes home and garden furnishings, such as garden  benches, bird baths, statuary, lanterns and cherubs. The art lover will find beautifully framed prints, original watercolors, rugs and wall hangings.

No botanical garden gift shop would be complete without a vast array of garden and nature books for both adults and children. Other merchandise includes an exceptional selection of cards and other gift items such as lovely glassware, ceramics and collectibles. Outdoor wear includes T-shirts, sweatshirts, gloves and hats. You can also buy seeds to plant your own garden.

There’s always something happening at Descanso Gardens. Garden festivals celebrate the seasons, the cultures and the collections that define Descanso. See plants in a fresh new way by taking a gardening class or a guided walk through the landscape. Learn a new skill like painting or gourmet cooking. Decompress at a fitness class. And instill the love of nature in your child. Descanso Gardens also offers programs for young people from toddlers to teens.

Visit the Descanso Gardens and discover the magic of nature, view the gardens calendar of events here.

WHAT: Descanso Gardens
WHEN: Open daily from 9 am to 5 pm (last entry is 4:30 pm) except for Christmas
WHERE: 1418 Descanso Drive | La Cañada Flintridge 91011

CONTACT INFO: (818) 949-4200

DETAILS: 

  • Free parking
  • General admission $8. Senior/Students $6. Children (5 to 12 years) $3. Guild members and children under 5 free
  • Tram is $4. Depending on demand, tram tours are at 1 pm, 2 pm and 3 pm Tuesday through Friday; 11 am, 1 pm, 2 pm  and 3 pm Saturday and Sunday. Check with the Visitor Center to see if tram tours are available the day of your visit. The tram does not operate on Mondays
  • Enchanted Railroad is $3 per rider, $25 for a book of 10 tickets; the Enchanted Railroad is open 10 am to 4 pm Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are sold at the Visitor Center. All schedules are subject to weather and availability; call ahead to see if the train is running at (818) 949-4290
  • The gift Shop  is open every day except Christmas. Hours are 10 am to 4 pm Monday through Friday, and 10 am to 4:45 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. For information call (818) 949-4292
  • The Descanso Café is open daily from 9 am to 4:30 pm. For information call (818) 790-3663
  • No animals, except service dogs, are allowed in the Gardens

Dear reader,

I appreciate your support and feedback. Please respond to this article now by leaving a comment and/or “liking” it. For exciting, up to date events in Los Angeles, subscribe to this blog via email. You can also share this article with friends and family and visit my Facebook and Twitter pages.

Stick with me and I guarantee you’ll never run out of things to do because you’ll always be connected, and your friends and family will admire you.

Thank you!

Mr. Events.

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