The Japanese Garden at the Huntington Langham

Nestled in the southeastern corner of the Huntington Langham resort in Pasadena, California, is a small Japanese garden. Designed by landscape architect William Hetrich for Henry E. Huntington, the garden opened in 1914 in conjunction with the newly renovated hotel. 

It should not be confused with the much larger Huntington Japanese Garden located at the nearby Huntington Library and Botanic Gardens.

Website: https://www.langhamhotels.com/en/the-langham/los-angeles/events/meetings/venue-listing/japanese-garden/

Although intended as a pond-and-stroll garden, the garden does not fully capture the character of a traditional Japanese garden. Instead, it feels more like a Southern California tropical or Mediterranean garden, with large palm trees dominating the landscape.

A gently flowing stream and a series of small cascading ponds form the garden's centerpiece, while winding pathways allow visitors to stroll beside the water and cross it by way of an arched red bridge. These features make for a pleasant stroll, but they do not create the overall feeling one typically associates with a Japanese garden.

The garden includes pines, azaleas, and mondo grass, all plants commonly found in Japanese gardens. However, they are overshadowed by subtropical plantings that give the landscape a distinctly Californian character. Stone lanterns and a arched red bridge provide visual reminders of Japan, but they feel more decorative than essential to the garden's design. 

A small bamboo grove beneath the famed covered "Picture Bridge" was a welcome addition, but confining it to a rectangular planting bed limited its potential to create the naturalistic bamboo screen one would expect in a Japanese garden.

 

View from the Covered "Picture Bridge"

Despite these shortcomings, the garden is an attractive and peaceful place to explore, especially for guests staying at the hotel. Its historical connection to Henry E. Huntington also adds to its appeal. Those looking for an authentic Japanese garden experience, however, should be sure to visit the exceptional Japanese Garden at the nearby Huntington Library and Botanic Gardens.