Lotus Design Philosophy:

Visit gardens of all styles to inspire design elements for your own garden

Today I visited Myo-Wa-En, translated “The Garden of Inspiration and Harmony”.  This transformational garden was designed in 1986 by Saito Katsuo Sensai who has the distinguished title of A Living Treasure of Japan.  It is the highest honor in Japanese Landscape Design. Wouldn’t we all like the title of a living treasure?

The Inspiration

Boonie Lang, owner and innovator of Myo-Wa-En located in Loomis, CA, gets my vote as a “living treasure”.  She is a lovely woman with grace, charm and wit to match.  Her love and respect for her garden is to be admired.  Boonie’s mother had commissioned a traditional Japanese garden in New Orleans that inspired Boonie to eventually choose a site to build a home that would be condusive for her future Japanese garden.  Once her children were grown, she sought a Japanese landscape designer and was rewarded through an aquaintance in Hillsborough with a meeting with Sensai.  Through a heart-felt essay and dedication to a World Peace garden to be shared, the 93 year-old designer agreed to trek from Tokoyo to her Northern California town.

He could not have found a more dedicated client and loyal friend than Boonie.  This would be Sensai’s last of his 500 plus garden designs and Boonie held true to her word in sharing it with only the most interested parties.  She opens her private gardens for two weeks in the spring and fall when the garden shows best.  She personally leads the 2 hour reserved tours of eight or more, which allows every visitor a personal and moving journey through the elements and philosophy behind her garden.

The Garden

As you approach the garden, you are welcomed with the Zen Garden of Friendship.  You are to be inspired to leave the real world and all that is stressful outside the gates so you can be enveloped in the shibui of the garden.  Shibui refers to the balance of simple and complex aesthetics that provide elegance, subtlety, and unobtrusive beauty.  It is the pinnacle of sustainability as the balance continues to provide new meaning and value over time.  With our current financial and environmental climate, this centuries old philosophy could not be more modern.

Another modern concept exemplified perfectly here is the balance of form and function.  The homeowner’s desired a swimming pool and spa.  This was certainly not in Sensai’s original concept plans.  In the hill and pond design, boulders were placed where a waterfall could cascade to the originally designed koi pond and a separate fall to the pool.  Very cutting edge for its time, the pool is lined with La Paz Mexican Beach pebbles and boulders to fit seamlessly into the landscape.  Plants and trees are layered up the hillside behind the pool with a small open area with a upward pointed rock.  The boulder inspires a spiritual reality in the garden. The surrounding  open area is remnescent of traditional Japanese art or 19th century Impressionist paintings where areas are left vague or undone for the observers mind to interpret.  Although, eastern gardens are more subdued than the big splashes of color in western gardens, the fall color could not have been more awesome.  A perfect combination in plant design.

Another design element so perfectly executed at Myo-Wa-En is mystery/surprise, quiet/loud, and slow/fast.  Once you have entered through the Moon Gate, there is a large mound garden which is all you can see at that point.  There is a beautiful Japanese pine, boulders and rock stream.  You can hear the water beyond but do not know its source.  You are offered two different paths at this opening point.  One is paved and a quick journey to the pool and koi pond and the other a curving path of stepping stones.  Your intuition wants to take the quick route but the stone path keeps you wondering what is beyond.  You have no idea what you are about to experience.

The paver path leads to the open area with the upward pointing stone.  The wooden paver stepping stones make the journey more introspective as it is necessary to slow down your stride to hit each paver.  Once you pass the spiritual garden, you enter the roji.  The roji (dewy path) is the garden that separates the main house from the tea house.  It is the first step to the meditative experience.  The roji garden is planted in species that only bloom white and pale pink to facilitate calm thoughts and the bound stone (stone tied with rope) at the entrance symbolizes that permission must be granted to enter the sacred space.  Sensai did not design the space for a tea house as his thought was no mind could be free enough to meditate or focus on the ceremony in such a beautiful garden.  The Tea House was important to Boonie and in honor of Sensai’s belief, made the opening to the garden a Moon Window rather than a full slider to restrict the view.

Tea House with Moon Window

It took 120 craftspeople, 200 tons of moss rock, 45 species of Japanese Maples, tradional roof tiles shipped from Japan, creativity and dedication to construct Myo-Wa-En.  This private garden has been shared with over 9000 visitors in an effort to promote universal peace and friendship.

My appreciation for the design, construction and maintenance of this garden was immense.  Boonie’s stewardship was to be respected.  When I visit famous gardens, I try to pinpoint a few concepts that I will take into my practice.  Here were my top 3:

1.  The garden buzzword “outdoor room” does not have to be literal.  Gardens require separate spaces not  just for the body or activity,  but also for the eye and mind.

2.  Symbolism adds meaning and depth.  There were 7 boulders strategically placed along a fenceline symbolizing music notes.  The harmony of the boulders was to remind us of the music in the garden from the water, wind, birds and bamboo.

3.  Collaboration brings connection.  There were elements important to the designer, homeowner and craftspeople.  With a dedication to the vision, a beautiful garden was built to honor all.  The garden won 2 national gold metals in pool design and the homeowner loves her garden 25 years later.