Monday, June 7, 2010

Hoboken Secret Garden Tour Part 1 - Hoboken Journal Photo Exclusive

I went on the Hoboken Secret Garden Tour run by the Hoboken Historical Museum yesterday and took some neat photos of some very nicely done gardens in Hoboken. I am starting this photo series off with what many on the tour saw as the most outstanding garden on display. There were a total of 13 gardens on the tour and I plan to highlight at least 10 of them over the next week or so. This backyard garden is on Washington Street and features heavy Asian accents and themes to complete a very relaxing and aesthetically pleasing outdoor living space. For a moment I felt like I could have met  Miyagi from the Karate Kid while taking in the atmosphere and aura of this fine backyard. Wax on, wax off!

This garden was inspired by Judith Klingsick's book, A Japanese Garden Journey and uses the tension of opposites yin and yang to reflect nature's balance and harmony.


This Buddha Statue which is over 600 pounds was carved from Indonesia from green river stone and sits  on driftwood salvaged from Hoboken's waterfront.

The moon gate design on the back fence is a traditional Chinese and Japanese sybol of the transition from  busyness to relaxation and reflection.

This small rock garden was influenced by Zen meditation gardens.

A nice little koi pond recently stocked right before the tour and adds the water element to the garden.

The bamboo fence is a symbol of longevity and a sacred barrier against evil. The multilevel zig-zag pathways are used to thwart evil spirits (like Beth Mason). Just kidding!

This wood is very dense and will last many years.

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