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.