A Lovely Visit to The Portland Japanese Garden

It was a spectacular day! Crystal clear, a bit breezy and chilly but the sky was an extraordinary blue. The temps may have hit the mid-50's F (12.5 C) mid-afternoon and then quickly cooled down.

I met a dear friend at the Portland Japanese Garden this morning. We meet there every couple of months - where I have a membership. The garden is in Washington Park - in the west hills of Portland. Built in 1963 on 12 acres, it overlooks the city. It has 8 separate garden styles and includes an authentic Japanese Tea House, streams, walkways and a spectacular view of Mt. Hood (which was very much in evidence today given the blue sky, as was Mt. St. Helen's). "This is a place to discard worldly thoughts and concerns and see oneself as a small but integral part of the universe." Portland Japanese Garden

It's always a joy to visit this superb garden, and today was no exception. The moss that covers much of the garden was as verdant and green as I've ever seen it, given the mild, rainy winter. Today it glowed in the sunlight. It's in a rather deep, cool pocket, so no camellias or plum blossoms yet. Very few people were there so it was heaven.

We saw a very moving exhibition called "Spirits Rising: Hiroshima" by photographer Ishiuchi Miyako. The Garden is celebrating 2020 as the Year of Peace in recognition of the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. Ms. Miyako has documented cherished items and clothing left behind by victims of the atomic bomb detonated in Hiroshima...now housed in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. Haunting, ghostly images "captured in her unique, moving style that resurrects and gives voice to those who suffered and died on that fateful day, bringing to life a renewed appeal for humanity and global peace."  Spirits Rising

Food for thought, indeed. 

Today's blip is of one of the ponds...the Pieris japonica are blooming in the mid ground, the Japanese Maples have color in their bark and Douglas Firs frame the scene. In the extra you'll see an exquisite example of a well-pruned Japanese Maple adding tremendous interest to the winter garden...along with said verdant moss :-)