Japanese Garden

Lots of lovely scenery and I could quite happily watch all the koi carp swim around for ages. There were only a handful of other people in the park when I visited – could have been because it had been raining earlier and everyone was still tucked up inside.

Japanese gardening has always intrigued me and inspired me as well. A decade ago, I worked at a hotel/spa where the garden was designed and supervised by a Japanese professional gardener.

What stuck in my mind was his knowledge about how all plants get along better with some and not so much with others: not that there are “good” or “bad” plants —nor even that they have to be similar plants. Simply, they grow and bloom and live better when surronded by akin plants. In other words, there’s chemistry between them, contributing for better energy flow and good feng shui.

I guess there’s a parallel with the humankind —and other species, too— that shall make us wonder of the choices we have made through our lives of the “plants” we have surrounded ourselves by.

Unfortunately, they have recently tripled the admission price. The new pricing may do more harm than good by lowering attendance.

I think the admission fee may have been a little high, but I took lots of nice photos and enjoyed my time here.

A good place to clear one’s mind. I enjoy watching the koi and turtles and considering life, anyway.

Unfortunately, the garden is right beside Lake Washington Blvd, so one can definitely hear cars buzzing by.

There is an admission fee, or you can get an annual pass if you are prone to visit.

Coincidentally, this garden and the one in Portland are both in a “Washington Park”; perhaps there is some cosmic parallelism going on here that I am unaware of. Seattle’s is smaller than the one in Portland, though, but still a worthy destination.