The Carter Center Japanese Garden

On the grounds of the Carter Center Presidential Center there is a Japanese garden. The grounds are open to the public and can be accessed behind the Carter Library. However, it should be noted that there is no direct access to the Japanese garden, a path with stairs exists, but can only be accessed via The Carter Center, which requires a business appointment or special permission.

Website: https://www.cartercenter.org/documents/nondatabase/revised-garden-brochure.pdf

According to the Presidential Center Garden Brochure, the garden was designed by Japanese Master Gardener Kinsaku Nakane and donated by the YKK Corporation. There is a series of waterfalls that exist as part of the garden with the larger of the two representing President Jimmy Carter and the smaller one representing Rosalynn Carter. Throughout the garden there are Japanese maples, rhododendrons, azaleas, and other Japanese plants.

I was a bit disappointed with this garden. Pictures I had seen online suggested a well maintained garden. However, many were taken around 2012 or later. 

Source: Flickr

The garden today looks very different. Less open, somewhat overgrown, and difficult to view from the pedestrian walkway from which people are restricted. I found it very difficult to get a good photo and was unable to convince anyone at the Center to grant me access to the garden site, which can only be entered through the Carter Center which is fenced off, not the Presidential Library from which it can only be viewed at a distance.

Perhaps in the early spring or fall the garden looks nicer - plan accordingly.

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