Ho Nan En

While visiting Boston, I discovered the Showa Institute and its Japanese garden, Ho Nan En.

The Showa Institute in Boston is a language and culture center that was established in 1988 as a satellite campus for English majors from Showa Women’s University in Tokyo, Japan. Its located in the Jamaica Plain area just outside of Boston, Massachusetts (formally the site of the Nazareth School established in 1953).

Website: https://www.showaboston.edu/

The campus is fairly large and includes dormitories and classrooms. In addition, there is small garden area just behind the main entrance hall.

I was also given a tour of a series of classrooms within that were converted to resemble an authentic Japanese teahouse interior.

 

It was a nice surprise to find this garden and its "teahouse." It was not easy to discover, but in the end, it was worth a visit.

Tenshin'en (Garden of the Heart of Heaven)

Stopped by to visit Tenshin'en (Garden of the Heart of Heaven) at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

Since my last visit in 2013, the garden had been renovated. The year long renovation in 2015 had been much needed. This garden was one of the more famous Japanese gardens in North America and it is wonderful to see that the renovation reflects its importance.

Website: http://www.mfa.org/collections/featured-galleries/japanese-garden-tenshin-en

The layout of the garden did not change much. All of the hardscape remained intact with only plants being adjusted.

The gate looks similar to the original, but the new materials should last a significant amount of time.

It was amazing to see the difference in how the plantings were modified and are now maintained.

2013 - pre renovation

2017 - post renovation

It is amazing how just a few steps in a different direction can dramatically change a view.

One can also enter the museum and from the second floor get a great view of the garden from above.

The renovations were very well done. There was some need for plant maintenance in some places, but I am sure the garden will be cared for in the fall and early spring, a better time to view the garden as it transitions to and from different seasons. I would recommend a afternoon visit - afternoon light will hit the garden from an angle that will eliminate the large shadow cast halfway across the garden during early and mid day.

Roger Williams Park Japanese Garden

While passing through Providence, Rhode Island, I had the opportunity to visit the Roger Williams Park Japanese Garden. The two acre garden was a project of the Works Progress Administration from 1935 - 1939. The garden was updated in the 1960s and restored in 2005.

Website: http://www.ppsri.org/preservation-awards/japanese-garden-at-roger-williams-park-landscape-open-space-award

I wasn't expecting the garden to be that significant, but was pleasantly surprised by its size and the maturity of some of the plantings.

The bridges connecting the three small islands made for an interesting setting. The foundations of this garden were well thought out.

There were not many Japanese style features - some rock formations and only one lantern. There was also not a wide range of plants. 

Unfortunately, the area around the lantern showed signs of "habitation" - trash, human waste, and large planting in which someone had been seeking shelter (I left these images out). It reminded me of some of the gardens I had seen in the Seattle area earlier in the summer.

The large "mountain area" and burns that were added more recently were a nice effect and offered some wider vistas from the islands.

Overall, the garden was nicer than I had expected. There were some issues with the maintenance of the plants and the pond water was literally toxic with algae. Nevertheless, the foundations of a good garden were present and it was worth the visit.