Arriving early for the blogger do in Seattle, I have time to visit a dear and special place. A place where you’ll find a gardener’s heart.
Tucked away in a modest Seattle neighborhood, the Kubota Garden is the life’s work of a single man, Fujitaro Kubota, who immigrated to America in 1907 and acquired the property in 1927. Doing the work of clearing, digging ponds and planting trees with his own hands, Kubota completed the four and a half acre garden in 1962. Thanks to the Kubota family, the city of Seattle and the Kubota Garden Foundation, this outstanding property is open to the public.
Here is the kind of beauty I long for in my next garden. A hillside of foliage.
A nearly white japanese maple, glowing in a green green shade.
A bridge over still water.
A mysterious path.
Rocks ringed with dwarf golden bamboo.
Walking this extraordinary property, you enter the gardener’s heart, through his composition of rocks and water and foliage.
You see through his eyes.
You enter his heart, because it is your heart too.
That’s a beautiful oriental style of garden and it’s so lush and green. Flowers may be lacking at this time of the year but beauty in form and texture and coloured foliage is something that I loved seeing as I scrolled down the photos. Are those clusters of blueberries in the first photo?
Comment by Rosie@leavesnbloom — July 22, 2011 @ 2:55 am |
Hi Rosie, For me right now, the lack of flowers is part of the attraction – I think those might be huckleberries, the foliage isn’t right for blueberries.
Comment by gardeningasylum — July 22, 2011 @ 10:23 am |
Goodness, what an extraordinarily beautiful place. I particularly love the first and last images, and the one of the dwarf bamboo and rocks. Enjoy the Seattle meet!
Comment by Janet/Plantaliscious — July 22, 2011 @ 3:30 am |
Thanks Janet – I wish you could walk through in person – the feeling is hard to capture in photos.
Comment by gardeningasylum — July 22, 2011 @ 10:25 am |
It all looks so natural but it was all carefully created. What an amazing accomplishment this man achieved, and it has stood the test of time, maturing into a beautiful space.
Comment by Laurrie — July 22, 2011 @ 7:22 am |
Laurrie you are so right -” carefully created” is a good descriptor – every sight line has been anticipated and made beautiful and interesting.
Comment by gardeningasylum — July 22, 2011 @ 10:27 am |
Japanese gardens look best with mostly green texture. I love the lack of bright flowers, so restful, reflective and peaceful. It is a beautiful place. Have fun in Seattle. I so wanted to be there.
Comment by Garden Walk Garden Talk — July 22, 2011 @ 7:30 am |
Thanks Donna – it’s too bad you couldn’t make it, hopefully another year the timing will be right.
Comment by gardeningasylum — July 22, 2011 @ 10:28 am |
So, so beautiful! I am in love with Japanese gardens, and the Kubota garden certainly looks like a labor of love. I didn’t realize you were going to Seattle, Cyndy–enjoy! I had so wanted to go, but the timing didn’t work out for me. I’m looking forward to enjoying it vicariously through everyone’s posts.
Comment by Rose — July 22, 2011 @ 8:20 am |
Thanks Rose, I was hoping to meet you this time, but maybe next year will work better for you. I think it might be age related, but my heart is really with the calm green gardens these days.
Comment by gardeningasylum — July 22, 2011 @ 10:30 am |
What a beautiful garden. It looks so peaceful and serene. I love that Maple. How beautiful. Enjoy your time at the Fling.
Comment by Lona — July 22, 2011 @ 6:45 pm |
Wow, wow, wow!! Gorgeous indeed!
Comment by Toni - Signature Gardens — August 4, 2011 @ 11:04 pm |