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.

Marble House - Chinese Teahouse

While visiting Newport, Rhode Island, I had the opportunity to visit some mansions, including Marble House. This mansion was built between 1888 and 1892 for William K. Vanderbilt as a "summer cottage." 

Website: http://www.newportmansions.org/explore/marble-house

Marble House 

On the grounds of Marble House sits a Chinese Tea House. 

source: http://meetings.newportmansions.org/venues.aspx?id=102

The Tea House was commissioned by Alva Belmont (divorced and remarried) in 1912. 

It opened on July 25, 1914 with a lavish Chinese costume ball at Marble House.

Alva Vanderbilt, seated, second from right

The Tea House was also used for rallies for women's suffrage. By 1919, the mansion and Tea House were permanently shuttered as Alva moved to France. 

Although the Tea House is based on a 12th century Song Dynasty temple, it is more characteristic of the wave of "Oriental Exotica" that spread across North America at the turn of the 19th-20th century. Many Japanese and Chinese style gardens were being built during this period, especially by the wealthy. These gardens had Asian characteristics, but were also reflective of late Victorian early 20th century tastes. The Tea House at Marble House is a good example of this movement.

The front gateway was interesting, especially give that the plaque at the top illustrates what appears to be an example of Confucian inspired filial piety. The male figure in the center is being shown filial respect by a daughter (left) and and son (right).