Digital Diary
The Garden In Winter
Winters in New Orleans are neither harsh, nor long, but they can take a toll on untended gardens. Fortunately, ours remains well cared for throughout the year, as these pictures attest. The maples have few, if any, leaves left and the wisteria is currently barren, but everything remains tranquil and quiet holding within their buds the promise of new life in the spring.
August Heat
August in New Orleans is legendary for heat and humidity. But our garden continues to be serene and tranquil, because of careful selection of plants, diligent irrigation, and the hard work of our maintenance crew! Below are some pictures showing that, even in a New Orleans summer, the Yakumo garden remains an oasis of beauty.
In some of the pictures you will notice some yellow “caution” tape. No, this is not a crime scene! In anticipation of the upcoming visit of the mayor of Matsue, our landscape architect, Robin Tanner, has planted new fig ivy. In order to allow it to take hold properly, we have temporarily prohibited some foot traffic.
For more information about the mayor’s visit, check out the “news” page on this website.
Signs of Spring
1Our wisteria has lain dormant for several weeks now, but we’re just starting to see some new leaves, and even a few new blooms. Eventually this will be one of the showpieces of our garden!
Major Installation
The new pergola, installed as part of our expansion, has been bare for several months. But this past fall (prime planting time in New Orleans) we transplanted a huge wisteria vine. Over time this will grow to cover the pergola, providing a dramatic statement for one of the garden’s three entrances.
Grand Reopening
Our hard work in expanding and enhancing the garden was celebrated on September 25, 2010 with a grand “reopening” of the renovated garden, a party in the Garden Study Center at the Botanical Garden, and tours of the garden. New features include stone benches, artfully hidden behind walls of bamboo, expanded pathways, a more graceful river of stones through the center of the garden, and a beautiful pergola. When growing conditions are more favorable, this pergola will be planted with a wisteria vine. A new entrance has been added, and the pergola provides a magical and serene framework of a graceful black pine. The pictures below give some sense of the beauty of the expanded garden.
Success!
We have now completed all the principle work on our expansion, nearly doubling the size of our garden. The new space provides vistas that were not possible before, and includes stone benches where visitors can sit and enjoy the serenity of the beauty around them. Our garden provides an oasis of tranquility where local residents and visitors alike can contemplate a lovely recreation of a genuine Japanese garden — the only one of its kind in New Orleans.
The pictures below show the new views, which include an additional entrance, a pergola, stands of bamboo, black pine, azaleas and Japanese maples. The pergola will be planted with a wisteria vine this fall, and of course much of the ground cover (fig ivy) is still new and has yet to fill in. Over time the overall effect will become more enhanced as the new plantings take root and flourish.
Our thanks to all our generous donors and long-time supporters. A special thanks to a major grant from the Commemorative Organization of the Japan World Exposition (COJWE). Without their help and support this expansion would not have been possible.
Spring Progress
Here are some pictures taken in early May, 2010, showing the continuing work on expansion. In one picture you can see a bench placed in the tea house area. This is the first of five such benches, which will be placed around the garden. Visitors will be able to sit, relax, and contemplate the beauty of nature around them. Other pictures show how the bamboo fencing has been extended around the newly incorporated area. Although it appears lighter in color now, it will soon “weather” into the same soft gray as the existing fence. Finally no springtime update would be complete without a picture of new growth. One clump of bamboo was transplanted and cut back. As you can see it is now sprouting new branches and leaves at a tremendous rate!
The Ides of March
Work is continuing on our planned expansion of the garden, which will double its size. In the first picture below you can see our President, Dr. Jack Strong, standing beneath our pergola, with a newly planted black pine tree in the background. In the second you can see the rear fence which now extends nearly the length of the expanded garden. The third picture shows a red camellia in bloom. It is the symbolic tree of the City of Matsue, Japan.
Expansion Update
Work continues on our planned expansion. When completed, the additional area will double the size of the garden from 1600 square feet to more than 3200 square feet. Below are pictures showing that the rear fence has been removed, which puts the tea house in an entirely new perspective. Rocks have been added underneath the pergola, and bamboo plants are being relocated. One picture is of a sign acknowledging the generous gift from COJWE (Commemorative Organization for the Japan World Exposition) which made this expansion possible.
Major Expansion Underway!
Yakumo Nihon Teien has been a work in progress for many years now. Phase 1 was the construction of the basic garden, a beautiful layout that was created by renowned landscape architect Robin Tanner. The original garden featured a “viewing platform” that allowed visitors a vantage point to enjoy and contemplate the garden.
In Phase 2 we added an authentic-looking teahouse which not only adds an air of authenticity to the garden but also has been used for various cultural events, including lectures, performances and even weddings.
Now, thanks to a generous grant from the Commemorative Organization for the Japanese World Exposition (COJWE) we have begun Phase 3; an expansion of the garden that will double it in size.
Work has already begun, and can be followed on our Digital Diary page. We anticipate that the expansion will be finished by the summer of 2010.
To learn more about COJWE and its work visit their website at www.expo70.or.jp.
As 2010 begins work on our expansion is in full force. Here are some pictures from December, 2009, showing the outlines of the fence and the construction of a pergola in the new section.
(CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE)
Autumn Sunset
These pictures were taken in October, 2009, and show how beautiful the garden is, even after dark.
Most Recent Pics:
More Views of Spring in the Garden: April 2007
Spring 2007:
Prof. Dorrill, Mrs. Kitahama, Mrs. Sakato, Dr. Lastrapes, and Mrs. Funayama visit the garden.
Views from the Work Site: April 2006
Views from the Work Site: July 2005
Views from the Work Site: June 2005
Views from the Work Site: May 2005
Views from the Work Site: January 2005
Views from the Work Site: December 2004
Views from the Work Site: November 2004
Views from the Work Site: October 2004
Views from the Work Site: August 2004
Views from the Work Site: April 2004
How It Looked Before Construction Began:
Groundbreaking: January 2003
Views from the Work Site: April 2003
May 2003
July 2003
August 2003
September 2003
October 2003
November 2003
January 2004
February 2004
