Message from Clay Dube

[clay dube]

It's great to hear more about the garden in Balboa Park. I think such gardens are fascinating to visit and learning about their histories can help us understand changing American perspectives toward Asia. For example, what happened during World War II? I know something of the story at the Huntington (where the Japanese garden was originally more of an "oriental mish-mash" design). The garden was closed to the public during World War II. Can anyone share more of the story of other Japanese gardens? When were they established, etc.? And what of the Korean Friendship Bell? Let's see if we can compile a list of such public gardens.

For example, UCLA has one, I think there's one in the South Bay or Long Beach.... Please include addresses or websites.

Here's the website for the San Diego Balboa Park garden:
http://www.niwa.org/display/home.asp (by the way, click on the link symbol -- a chainlink -- in the editing window to make your inserted link "hot," that is, to make it clickable)

A more comprehensive history is available here:
http://www.balboapark.org/info/history.phphttp://www.balboaparkhistory.net/chapter8.pdf

Reading through this, one learns about how the garden was part of a mini-world's fair, the Pan Pacific Exposition. You read about the design, presentations, and so forth. You'll learn of complaints regarding a Buddha statue. Then you'll follow the development up to the 1930s when a Japanese couple took over the concession. They were interned during World War II. It seems the garden's tea house was used as lounge for recovering Naval Hospital patients. The whole operation subsequently fell into disrepair and the grounds taken over by the city's famous zoo. The garden was reborn in its present location in 1990.

Folks -- I'm fascinated by public gardens and exhibitions and how organizers try to shape impressions and attitudes and the perceptions others come away with. Please do share what you think of these places. Visit and comment, please tell us what other adults think and how kids respond.