Elements

Pathways – Kaiyu-shiki or “stroll gardens” require the observer to walk through the garden to fully appreciate it. The paths change from concrete/blacktop to wood to gravel to stone. This encourages you to slow your pace and connect to the earth and your inner self.

Curves – No straight lines exist in the garden. This conveys a sense of discovery as the garden reveals itself around each turn and focuses your attention on the immediate.

Boulders – Stones are the backbone of the garden. Groupings of stones are almost always in odd numbers and are a balance of horizontal and vertical movement. The laying of stones is a skill passed down through family lines. These stones came from Wisconsin and are millions of years old.

Plants – Foliage in the garden is most glorious in spring and fall—beginnings and endings. Rather than overwhelming the senses with color and quantity, The garden offers subtle variances and a few examples to represent many. This is one of many Japanese elements in the Healing Garden.

Water – Considered the lifeblood of the garden, the different forms of water reflect different energy, from the rushing waterfall, to a gurgling stream in the courtyard to the stillness of the pond.

Bridges – Bridges are a symbol of transition, leaving behind one world for another.

Features

Click the features to view that location on our Google Maps virtual tour.

1. Wooden bridge – Alongside the bridge, a Japanese maple with its wispy red-tinted leaves adds color to an otherwise green palette. Birdfeeders, which help draw wildlife into the space, can be seen throughout the garden.
2. Courtyard and serenity circle – Serenity circles are places where residents, families and visitors can pause to reflect and view the garden. This is the largest and most formal of the serenity circles. The stream running through the courtyard makes 12 drops (for the 12 Step Program) before reaching the pond.
3. Winding walk – Curves in the path remind users that the journey is not straight and life reveals itself slowly. At the peak of the walk is Peaceful Passage Serenity Circle.
4. The pond – The pond, which is 13′ deep at the center, is supplied with both rain and city water. Koi, bluegill and bass thrive in the pond. From the landing, you can take in the full scope of the pond, formal garden, mountain waterfall and natural forest backdrop.
5. Bell tower – Since ancient times, bell ringing has symbolized purification that takes place within a sacred place, as well as the desire for a balanced life. When an adolescent successfully completes treatment, the bell is struck as an announcement to the community.
6. Serenity bridge – This bridge is pitched, like a mountain, because one must work to get to a better place. The use of cedar, an aromatic wood, engages another one of the senses.
7. Open stone bridge – The flagstone walkway over the river is deceptive to the eye, giving the appearance of being fragile, but holding great strength.
8. Stepping Stone bridges – At the top and bottom of the waterfall, a stepping stone bridge invites you to cross the flowing water safely. This fall also makes 12 drops before a final plunge into the pond.
9. Cascading waterfall – In the style of a Japanese garden, water in our Healing Garden flows only in a way that is totally natural. Anchored by a 40-ton boulder, the large waterfall moves more than 1,200 gallons of water per minute. The falling water strikes the stones in three locations, adding depth of sound. A “guardian stone,” the protector of the garden, juts out of the pool at the waterfall’s base.
10. Grateful outlook – The highest point of the garden represents the top of the mountain. To observe the natural woods beyond the garden, you must look through the evergreen trees, which form a natural frame for the scene. Note how the sound of the waterfall is muffled by the stones.
11. The peninsula – The peninsula is a reminder of the island nation of Japan, where water and land intertwine.
12. Cobblestone bridge – Water from the winding river flows under the bridge to the tranquil pond.