The Cleveland Botanical Garden is celebrating 50 years of its Japanese Garden.
Throughout the summer, a new exhibit, 鈥淏etween Water and Stone,鈥� offers activities and classes on Japanese culture and traditional garden design, horticulturist Caroline Watson said.
The garden is known as which means 鈥渞ock stream garden,鈥� according to the botanical garden鈥檚 website. It was designed in 1975 by David Slawson and blends elements of Japanese tea and dry landscape gardens, Watson said. Upon entering the exhibit, visitors are met with intricate patterns of raked sand, pruned bonsai trees and a red torii鈥攁 traditional Japanese gate.
The lower level is shaded and calm, allowing visitors to mindfully observe the traditional features of the garden.
On a recent afternoon at the garden, East Liverpool resident Kayla Coleman said she enjoyed visiting the quiet space.
鈥淚'm actually honestly surprised how peaceful it is here since we're in the middle of a city,鈥� Coleman said. 鈥淚 mean, you still hear some of the cars, but it's not as loud as I expected it to be.鈥�
Another visitor, Cleveland Heights resident Linda Cooper, said she enjoyed the break from the heat.
鈥淚 like how it鈥檚 also like 15 degrees cooler down here than it is up there,鈥� Cooper said.
Although signage throughout the space explains Japanese garden principles, visitors are left to experience the garden at their own pace, Watson added.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not traditional to instruct the guest on how to experience the garden,鈥� Watson said. 鈥淗owever they experience it is how it should be experienced. So, I would just encourage people to kind of slow down and contemplate.鈥�
Garden-wide annual plantings are also on theme with the exhibit and will feature woody plants and conifers, according to Watson.
Events will continue through Sept. 1, with an anniversary celebration on Aug. 21. Visitors can participate in traditional Japanese dance with ShoJoJi Japanese dancers, learn origami and enjoy live music from a shakuhachi musician.
