nature, Photography

Japanese Garden Tour

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Not far from my home is a lovely Japanese friendship garden; Penticton has been a sister city with Ikeda, Japan – located in the Nakagawa District of Tokachi in Hokkaido – since 1977 and this garden is in honour of that relationship. I frequently walk through it as I like to see ongoing seasonal changes and it’s also a very comforting, peaceful place.

There are tranquil paths …

… a koi pond with a fountain …

… and best of all, it was painstakingly and artistically planned to ensure that it would be visually appealing all through the seasons.

Spring petals decorating the pond’s surface …

… and autumn leaves doing the same.

The garden abuts Okanagan Lake which even in summer can be seen through the trees and contributes further to the soothing atmosphere.

In winter, this garden is still serene and relaxing. If it’s warm enough, a little time on one of the benches can be a lovely way to decompress.

Right now however it’s displaying the best of autumn, including the fiery red lace leaf maple bushes that are at their most beautiful.

Happy Tuesday.

53 thoughts on “Japanese Garden Tour”

  5. So beautiful. The Chicago Botanical Garden has a Japanese garden which wasn’t my favorite to walk through but a good friend who I’m in touch with photographs it and he’s shown me its beauty.
    Maybe because I was always there with children and I think you needed the serenity mindset to appreciate it. 😉

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    1. I like this one a lot and here it’s very popular. People go there to eat lunch or read a book and there’s a corner where others come to just quietly exercise, too. Japanese gardens are designed to encourage quietude and reflection and also are a type of art, too, so yes, maybe you weren’t in the right mental space for your visits. 😊 Cheers.

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    1. I really take advantage of how close it is and probably walk through it a couple of times a week. Those lace leaf maples are amazing. They are red in spring, green in summer and then this glorious red in autumn. They have such a beautiful dome shape and are actually self-pruning, too. There are a number of them in this garden and I love watching their changes.

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    1. It definitely is, Bernie. I love to visit that garden I think you can grow them in zone three but you will need to baby them a lot until they’re well established. I looked them up for zone three as well and saw a lot of chat about how to succeed. Cheers.

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  19. What a serene and beautiful place! Your photos of the Japanese friendship garden are absolutely stunning – the tranquil paths, the koi pond, and the seasonal changes you capture create such a peaceful atmosphere. Thank you for sharing this calming sanctuary with us!

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    1. Hi Linda. Yes, we’re definitely fortunate to live so close by. I think what I like best about it is that it’s always calm and peaceful even when the wind is gusting to 80km and the rain is pelting since it’s been designed to minimise effects from that kind of weather. Yes, it’s really a lovely garden.

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  22. I’m from Japan and studying at a university in the U.S., but I didn’t know there was a place like this. It’s so nice to see how the Japanese garden is connected to friendship between cities. Your photos and description made me miss the peaceful feeling of gardens in Japan.

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    1. I agree. There is a strong connection between Japan and British Columbia since there were many Japanese immigrants to this province over the years, especially to Vancouver. Japanese gardens can be found in many communities here (and excellent Japanese restaurants, too). It sounds as if you are a bit wistful for home; I’ve experienced that before too and understand.

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