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Team from MONDAY, MARCH 19, 2012 - The annual visit from the landscaping team from Japan occurred in early February, sadly without Mr. Terunobu Nakai due to his passing in January 2012. However, his design assistant, Ms. Aya Nakamura Hashimoto, stepped in to continue his vision for the renovation of the Garden, which until a few years ago, looked more like an American-style Japanese Garden than one that adhered to authentic Japanese gardening principles. Renowned Japanese gardener Mr. Hiroshi Iwasaki returned for his fifth visit, accompanied by his apprentice son Taiki, to assist the Houston Parks and Recreation Department gardeners with plant maintenance, new plantings, and Japanese-style tree pruning. In anticipation of a possible second entrance into the Garden from the Fannin side of the Park, Ms. Hashimoto also met with local landscape architect Jim Patterson of White Oak Studio to address the design of the area outside of the Japanese Garden fence along the Fannin edge of the Park. They discussed ideas for the locations of new plantings, elevations, and trails to be placed throughout the new Sunset Meadow, which sits between the wide gravel path and the Garden fence line from the Jones Reflection Pool to the southwest corner of the Garden. Jim and Ms. Hashimoto agreed that the design and plant materials for the Meadow should reflect a seamless blending of hardscapes and plantings with those inside the Garden, as well as removal or pruning of existing plant materials along the fence line that currently prevent sightlines into the Garden from the Fannin edge. Additionally, Ms. Hashimoto considered the design of a small event lawn inside the Garden, the renovation of specific planting beds, and the addition of shrub beds per Mr. Nakai’s plan. The Conservancy looks forward to continuing the partnership and renovation work to fulfill Mr. Nakai’s vision. |
ENGINEER FOR A DAY Come on board as a Hermann Park Railroad engineer for a day! |
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