Sunday, October 4, 2009

Anderson Gardens, Rockford

On the way home from our overnight stay at White Pines State Park, we stopped in Rockford to see the Anderson Japanese Gardens. I had hoped to see the gardens on a sunny day, but this visit was overcast and threatening rain. Luckily, these gardens with all their rocks, streams, pools, structures, trees and shrubs do not depend upon sunshine or blooming flowers for their beauty.

The paths meander. There are sculptures, shelters, bridges, all manner of beautifully crafted things to capture one's attention. There are benches and chairs scattered along the way, inviting the visitors to sit, observe and reflect. It was fairly quiet on this day, with only a couple school groups listening to explanations by volunteer docents. The ducks and koi loved these children with their hands full of treats.


Our local Rotary Botanical Gardens has a smaller Japanese Garden with many of the same elements, though there are are themed gardens as well. I was pleased by the single theme here, and hope to return to see the place in other seasons.


They have a nice web site you can visit here: http://andersongardens.org/

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