Backyard and Backcountry: Sunday Afternoon at Anderson Japanese Garden

I had quite a Sunday! My morning started off with a drive into Chicago to catch the Van Gogh Bedrooms exhibit at the Art Institute. We were trying to go last night but got there far too late in the day, lines were averaging 2 hours to see the exhibit. I had been planning on heading to the Anderson Japanese Gardens in Rockford this afternoon but didn't want to miss the Van Gogh exhibit as it is set to close next week. Instead of picking between the two I made it an action packed day, and as soon as I finished at the Art Institute hopped back on I-90 and headed west to Rockford to catch the garden in full bloom.

Japanese gardens are some of the most beautiful and peaceful landscapes I've ever seen. I saw my first one in San Francisco when I was 14 and I remember being amazed at the sense of calm I got while walking through the garden. The garden seemed so clean, like every rock and leaf was exactly where it was supposed to be. The gardens use water, stone, and vegetation to create idealized aesthetic landscapes that provide a setting for meditation. Rocks and water together represent yin and yang, two opposites who balance one another. In dry rock gardens, sand and gravel represent water. Japanese gardens are heavily influenced by Chinese Daoism and Buddhism, both of which were brought to Japan almost 1500 years ago.

The Anderson Japanese Garden is something of an anomaly being in the middle of Rockford, Illinois. When I first heard about the garden I was pretty amazed that something so culturally unique was located in Rockford of all places. Not only is the garden a nice place to visit, but it has ranked as one of the greatest Japanese Gardens in the U.S. The garden covers 12 acres along Spring Creek, a tributary to the Rock River. The origins of the garden begin in 1978 when John Anderson, a businessman inspired by his visits to Japan and Portland's Japanese Garden, decided to construct a Japanese Garden on his property in Rockford. He hired a master landscape architect named Hoichu Kurisu and they transformed the property into the beautiful garden it is today. Since 1998, when it was donated by Anderson, the garden has been operated by a non-profit.

We spent the better part of an hour walking around the garden. It was a great time to be there as many of the plants were in bloom. The red Japanese Maple leaves combined with purples of the azaleas and red buds made for a beautiful walk through the garden. The garden was full of beautiful songbirds and colorful koi. I can't wait to return to see how the garden changes with the seasons. If you have some spare time to make the trek out to Rockford I would highly recommend checking out Anderson Japanese Garden.