The architectural scale model of the Huntington’s Garden of Flowing Fragrance, Phase One completed and opened to the pubic in February 2008. The scale model was mesmerizing. A miniaturized, perfect world unto itself. I haven’t seen Phase I yet of the actual garden. I am such a philistine when it comes to Asian gardens and get none of the symbolism and associations.
From the handout:
“The Huntington’s new Chinese garden currently covers five of the allotted 12 acres and includes a lake, seven pavilions, and five stone bridges, built by more than 60 Suzhou artisans from authentic materials shipped from China. The garden includes ‘poetic views,’ and natural and architectural features set amid plants native to China and rich in literary associations.”
It’s good you waited to see the garden. Wait some more. It needs time yet to fill in and mature. We visited about a year ago and I was rather disappointed by the raw, young state of the beds and plantings. The structures are lovely, as they are in Lan Su, Portland’s Chinese Classical Garden, but the plants just aren’t there yet. Give it a few years.
The miniature is cool. I love those trees.
At first glance I thought these were tilt-shift photos.
We’ve visited several times since it opened. I find it nice to watch the plants develop from small and wimpy to more substantial. They look better and better every time. Very shrewd of the Huntington to pull in so much money from an increasingly wealthy demographic. I get none of the symbols, it’s perfectly enjoyable as a garden. Nifty rocks, growing plants, nice paths, big pond, trees…it’s all good.