Anderson Japanese Gardens #ThursdayDoors

It’s the first of the month, so there’s a new Hot Flash on the Hot Flashes page.

In the summer of 2007, my husband and I took a rare road trip to Rockford, Illinois to visit the Anderson Japanese Gardens. We love gardens, especially Japanesey ones so, even though we hate being away from home, we took the trip.

The gardens were beautiful, but the effect was a bit spoiled by our being able to see gardeners at work. Japanese gardens, it seems, are supposed to look wild and natural, and a great deal of work goes into manicuring them so that they look untended. It was kind of weird. It was like seeing a million-dollar starlet with her hair looking like mine after a bad night, and realizing she paid a professional top dollar for that look.

Anyway, here is my favorite picture from the gardens. I think I like it the best because it’s of something that’s obviously made and staged by humans, rather than an elaborate simulation of natural beauty.

lanternTwo doorways for the price of one.

This post is part of Norm Frampton’s Thursday Doors blog link.

A WRITING PROMPT FOR YOU: A character discovers that something they thought was real is a simulation.

MA

About

I was born in Louisville, Kentucky, but now live in the woods in southern Indiana. Though I only write fiction, I love to read non-fiction. The more I learn about this world, the more fantastic I see it is.

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One thought on “Anderson Japanese Gardens #ThursdayDoors

  1. Pat Garcia

    October 1, 2015 at 8:19am

    Hi,
    I like looking at well-kept gardens also. Here in Europe, people love their gardens.
    Shalom,
    Patricia

    Permalink  ⋅ Reply
    • Author

      Marian Allen

      October 1, 2015 at 8:56am

      I passed a beautiful little garden today. I wish I hadn’t been in traffic, so I could have looked at it longer. Very small, but perfect!

      Permalink  ⋅ Reply
  2. Dan

    October 1, 2015 at 9:10am

    Nicely done! Be sure to check Norm’s door today. A great example of real/simulation.

    Permalink  ⋅ Reply
  3. Jane

    October 1, 2015 at 9:44am

    The Matrix!

    New Orleans is full, OK, the French Quarter is full of walled courtyards usually with open weave iron gates. Through the gates, you can just catch a glimpse of the garden inside.

    Permalink  ⋅ Reply
    • Author

      Marian Allen

      October 1, 2015 at 10:46am

      I love that. I love those corny pictures businesses hang in their bathrooms of glimpses of courtyards, gardens, and stairs as seen at sharp angles around corners or through arches or doorways. LOVE THEM. I could get lost in them. Very Twilight Zone.

      Permalink  ⋅ Reply
  4. Laura

    August 13, 2016 at 10:48pm

    I love Japanese style, too. As for me, it’s can look traditional overall, but there is something modern inside it.

    Permalink  ⋅ Reply
    • Author

      Marian Allen

      August 14, 2016 at 1:11pm

      They seem to have a genius for blending modern miniaturization with traditional minimalism.

      Permalink  ⋅ Reply

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