LEFT: Dating to 1939, the South
Stone Bridge was incorporated into
the Garden as if it were a natural
feature of the land. (Photo by
Aurora Santiago)
RIGHT: Volunteers carefully removing
spent flowers from the azaleas.
(Photo by Chie Iida)
develops, it grows closer to,
rather than farther from, its
original intention. Only through
expressing this intention in
place can the Garden achieve
real authenticity.
ORIGINAL ADAPTATIONS
The original design plans and
the early, published descriptions
by Jūki Iida provided a
solid framework upon which to
build our Garden. The distinct
regions within the Garden,
the representations of natural imagery (such as forest, sea and
mountains), and the celebration of natural beauty that inspired
the Garden’s creation are still fundamental principles for maintenance
and enhancement today.
Adaptation was built into the Garden from day one: The actual,
“on-the-ground” construction was adapted to the physical
environment from the original concept drawings and plans. From
the shape of the pond to the arrangement and layout of the plantings,
decisions were made to take advantage of the reality of the
Garden space.
In the initial planting, species and specimens were selected
based on how available material could be used to communicate the
design intention. Asian conifers (such as Japanese red pine, Pinus
densiflora, and Japanese cedar, Cryptomeria japonica) and maples
formed the core of the original collection. However, so too did
rhododendrons, which are not typically seen in Japanese gardens
but were added by Iida due to their prominence in the Pacific
Northwest. Likewise, Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and other
native plants, including salal (Gaultheria shallon) and huckleberry
(Vaccinium ovatum and V. parvifolium), were used both as analogues
for Japanese plants and to tie the Garden to its location.
A keen observer of nature, Jūki Iida let the natural beauty of
the Pacific Northwest contribute to his vision of the Garden. The
site chosen for the Garden was part of the existing Arboretum, and
Iida incorporated some existing plant material, further attaching
the Garden to its environs.
EARLY DEVELOPMENT AND REALIGNMENT
In the early years, small plants grew larger, moss and other
ground covers filled in the bare soil, and the Garden began to
integrate with the Arboretum growing around it. During this time,
the collection was also expanded, and more plants were added or
Summer 2020 v 13