Rotary Botanical Garden

While visiting gardens in Illinois, I found myself near the Rotary Botanic Gardens in Wisconsin. The garden was originally built in 1989 on the edge of an old sand and gravel quarry. There were many elements of a traditional Japanese garden present. However, I found some of those elements to be lacking in authenticity, especially some of the structures. Some aspects of the garden were well done, but others simply reflected a modern day take on "orientalism" and as a result, seemed less Japanese and more "misinformed Asian."

Website: http://www.rotarybotanicalgardens.org/gardens/japanese-garden/

The gate and entryway were nice and there were some nice lanterns throughout. The water feature seemed a bit unatural.

Some of the other gates in the garden seemed like an odd mix of Japanese and Chinese elements - very inauthentic for a Japanese garden.

I liked this moss feature near the back gate - not easy to create and maintain a large moss garden.

I thought that the dry-rock portion of the garden was one of the best features. There were multiple vantage points and elevations from which to view the area, all providing a different experience. Additionally, the use of local stone enhanced the overall look of the dry-bed as a unique feature.

The machiai was a nice attempt to add such a structure to the garden, However, it added to the sense that the garden was trying to cram too many such elements into a garden of this size - seemed cluttered. The plantings around the machiai was also in need of some care and maintenance.

The bridge was nice as well, but again, its size seemed too large an element in such a small place. It also seemed more Chinese than Japanese.

The lantern below appeared to be an attempt to replicate the well-known wooden pagoda style lantern at the Portland Japanese Garden, however, it was poorly executed (looked like something I might have attempted with my limited woodworking skills). As a result, it contributed the the lack of authenticity. It was also in a very odd place, as if an after thought.

Rotary Botanical Garden Lantern

Portland Japanese Garden Lantern

The zig-zag bridge was a mess. Poorly constructed and made from treated lumber. Seemed cheap. The idea was a good one and has potential, but the bridge needed to be constructed of higher quality material.

This small pavilion on the far side of the pond was another example of getting it wrong. It was, once again, a weird mix of Chinese and Japanese elements that were inauthentic in their attempt to create an "oriental" experience.

Overall, I actually enjoyed the garden, especially the dry garden area. If they could eliminate the odd structures and move towards more Japanese features (less "orientalism"), they could ensure that visitors get to experience a more authentic Japanese garden.