The Seattle Japanese Garden Then & Now | Part II: The Conifers

Culturally and aesthetically significant, conifers are an integral part of the Japanese Garden. They bring a feeling of age and stability and help define areas in the garden that refer to natural landscapes of Japan, such as open woodlands, forested mountains, wooded hills and islands, and wind-swept shores.

Juki Iida included existing native conifers in his landscaping. Some remain, and he selections of conifers since the garden’s first decade have been inspired by Juki’s Iida’s design and vision for the Japanese Garden.

In the Garden, History, Japanese Garden Design, Plants and BloomsChie IidaJune 22, 2021Pine, Japanese Garden, Japanese Pine, Trees, Hinoki, Juki Iida

Pine Trees, Part One: Beloved Conifers

Pine trees are beloved conifers worldwide, revered especially in Japan, where they’re associated with endurance and eternity. Important cultural symbols, they appear prominently in Japanese gardens, literature and art.

Corinne KennedyMarch 15, 2019Pine

2016: Year in Reflection

Tranquility and Peace. Thank you for showing the world that it matters through your support of the Garden. We've had a remarkable year of increased visitors and thousands of hours of volunteerism. Seattle Japanese Garden matters more to the community now than ever.

In the GardenRumi TsuchihashiDecember 22, 2016event, Seattle, Japanese Garden, Western Washington, Washington, Northwest, Pacific Northwest, Visitors, Niwashi, volunteers, Moss, Maple, Pruning, tour, Pond, Pine, Winter, Festival, Japanese Culture, Shinto, moon viewing, photography, Art, Art Exhibits, dance, Tea, tea house, History

The Garden Refined: Perfecting the Vision Through Expert Pruning

Fall pruning is the most important part of proper specimen tree maintenance, it is the time when critical decisions will be made with regards to individual pieces and the key relationships that define the aesthetic of this Garden.

In the Garden, FallRumi TsuchihashiNovember 18, 2016Fall, Pruning, Pine, Seattle, Japanese Garden, Western Washington, Washington, Northwest, Pacific Northwest, Maple, tree, Shrub, Juki Iida

The Everything Season

Senior Gardener Pete Putnicki gives us insight into how the garden is cared for in the summer months

In the Garden, Summer, VolunteersRumi TsuchihashiAugust 15, 2016Seattle, Japanese Garden, Washington, Western Washington, summer, Juki Iida, gardening, Pine, Azalea, Fall, Winter, volunteers, Moss, tree, Shrub, Pruning, Stone, Fence

Nature versus Nurture in the Japanese Garden: A Gardener's Perspective

Visitors to the garden often comment on the splendor and beauty of nature and the care and attention that is obviously lavished on the garden. What they are observing and being moved by is the careful, intentional integration of nature and nurture.

In the Garden, Japanese Culture, Japanese Garden DesignRumi TsuchihashiApril 8, 2016Seattle, Japanese Garden, gardening, Stone, Water, tree, Shrub, Moss, Pine, Maple, Azalea, Cherry, Plum, Crabapple

Trees in a Japanese Garden: an Idealized Vision of Nature

Japanese gardens are inspired by a deep respect for nature, but they’re certainly not “natural.” Instead, they’re works of art that aim to achieve a balance between wildness and control...

History, In the Garden, Japanese Garden Design, PhotographyRumi TsuchihashiMarch 15, 2016Spring, Japanese Garden, Seattle, tree, Maple, Zen, bloom, Fragrant, Stone, Shrub, Cherry, Plum, Moss, Pine, Japanese Pine, Bamboo

Yohaku no bi: The Beauty of Empty Space

White spaces can be profoundly beautiful; full of mystery and promise, a reminder of the infinite potential that dwells within nature--and each of us.

Events, History, In the Garden, Japanese Garden DesignRumi TsuchihashiMarch 15, 2016Seattle, Japanese Garden, Pine, History, Japanese Culture, Art, Buddhism, Zen, Stone, Garden Design, Pond, Space, Class

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