Fall is the best time of year for beautiful colors

A Blue Heron came for one last visit in October

Burning Bush is a favorite of many gardeners 

Mild Fall days are enjoyed by people and ducks

Main Gate Anderson Gardens

Anderson Gardens Pond of Reflection

Anderson Gardens 

Amur Maples

Dancing Peacock Maples trees turn a variety of colors in the Fall

Maples

West waterfall at Anderson Gardens

Summer in the garden

                                         Children enjoying the garden.

                                         A main feature of Japanese gardens is contrasts of greens and natural
                                          colors of the trees and rocks.

                                           Japanese lilacs

                                            Strolling Garden

                                           Visitors enjoy quit moments

                                              Visitors love to take pictures in so many places in the garden

Japanese Iris

                                              Pink Japanese Dogwood 

 There are several of these Dogwoods in the garden, but this is the only 

  one still in bloom in June.

Japanese Iris 

This is called a Bloodgood Japanese Maple. I took this picture in June.

 Koi at Anderson Japanese Gardens

Virginia Creeper

Pond lilies

West Waterfall Anderson Japanese Gardens

Summer in the Japanese Garden

                                            Bridge across Spring Creek to the Japanese Garden

                                             Looking through the Japanese Maples

                           Yellow Flag Irises are lovely as they just come into bloom now

                           Some male Mallards enjoying some leisure time in one of our small ponds

            The large waterfall is always a major attraction at Anderson Japanese Gardens

                            A bright yellow flower called Sedum looks great among the rocks.

New burst of Spring growth

          Each Spring we see a burst of Scotch Pine "candles' that have to be trimmed.

                             These large bright flowers are from the Cranberry Bush.

  Japanese love flowers and make a special effort to have something blooming in their gardens through all seasons, so they tend to choose more woody plants, like evergreens and bushes, as well as flowers like these early blooming Siberian Irises. 
Anderson Japanese Gardens

There is a love story associated with Irises and bridges. A scholar went away for a time walking along a river that branched into 8 streams each with a bridge. Along side the bridges were Irises. Missing his true love, he took the Japanese word for Iris and composed a poem to his love beginning with each letter.

                                                  View from the Guest House porch.

 

Hoichi Kirusu, master Japanese garden designer, is designing a new 

eight acre Japanese garden in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

It will open in 2015

 

Construction site of the new Japanese Garden in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Spring in Anderson Japanese Gardens

    Visitors always remark how great this willow tree looks. Most of the willows are 
     green. I took this picture May 3, 2013. (Double tap the pictures to enlarge).

                    The Azaleas are in full bloom now and look lovely after the rain today.

       This stone (zen) beach is all new this year. They did a nice job of laying out all the 
        stones. 

                                       White Star Magnolias (originate in Japan).

    The gardeners installed a new wooden bridge above the waterfalls last fall.
    It has already aged to a nice dark color.

                                                         Tea house and azaleas.