Serenity on view
Here are some of the top Japanese gardens in the United States. Visiting their websites will provide insight into this style of gardening.
Anderson Japanese Gardens, Rockford, Ill.: Ranked No. 1 in the U.S. by Sukiya Living magazine in 2014, the gardens were started in 1978 on the property of businessman John Anderson. Their development has been under the guidance of noted designer Hoichi Kurisu. In 1998, the gardens, which cover 12 acres, were donated to the Rockford Rotary Charitable Association and now exist as a not-for-profit entity. www.andersongardens.org
Portland Japanese Garden, Portland, Ore.: The 5.5-acre formal garden features five styles — the Flat Garden, Strolling Pond Garden, Tea Garden, Natural Garden, and Sand and Stone Garden. It was designed by Takuma Tono. www.japanesegarden.com
Shofuso Japanese House and Garden, Philadelphia: Shofuso, a traditional-style Japanese house, was built in Japan in 1953 and brought to Philadelphia in 1958. There are three types of gardens on the 1.2-acre site: a hill-and-pond style garden; a tsubo-niwa, or courtyard, garden in the style of an urban 17th-century Kyoto garden; and a roji, or tea, garden. www.japanesehouse.org
Garden of the Pine Wind: Part of the University of Arkansas' Garvan Woodland Gardens in Hot Springs, Ark., Garden of the Pine Wind is a 4-acre garden designed by David Slawson, who used regional landscapes and the ravines of the site for his inspiration. Among the highlights are three cascades, a waterfall, two springs, four pools and a half-acre koi pond. www.garvangardens.com
Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe, Ill.: The Elizabeth Hubert Malott Japanese Garden is a 17-acre garden that was dedicated in 1982 and is designed in the kaiyu-shiki-teien (or stroll) style, intended to be viewed while walking. The garden was designed by Koichi Kawana. www.chicagobotanic.org
Locally, you can check out examples at the Japanese Garden at Normandale Community College in Bloomington (www.normandale.edu/community/japanese-garden) or the Charlotte Partridge Ordway Japanese Garden at Como Park (www.comozooconservatory.org/attractions/gardens/japanesegarden/#/info). You'll also find aspects of Japanese garden techniques at Lyndale Park Peace Garden near Lake Harriet in Minneapolis (www.minneapolisparks.org/?PageID=4&parkid=349). Not far away is Jo Ryo En Japanese Garden at Carleton College in Northfield (http://apps.carleton.edu/campus/japanesegarden).
Chicago Tribune
