URL:   http://www.descansogardens.org/  Name: Descanso Gardens    Alternate Name:   Address: 1418 Descanso Drive  Mailing Address:   City: La Canada Flintridge  State: California  Postal Code: 91011  Country: UNITED STATES  Latitude/Longitude: lat=34.203009; long=-118.20933 Find Gardens Nearby Weather:   Phone: +1.818.949.4200  Fax: +1.818.952.1238  E-Mail:   Contact: Tim Thibault, curator  Designer(s):   Contruction Date: gardens established 1957  Public/Private: PUBLIC  Hours: Daily, except Christmas, 9am - 5pm (visitors are not allowed in after 4:30pm)  Admission: General $7.00. Senior/Students, and Youth $5.00. Children $2.00. Guild members and Children under 5 are always free. Tram $3.00. Enchanted Railroad $2.00 (Saturday and Sunday only.)  Added to JGarden: 1/1/1996  Last Updated: 3/9/2005  Sources: Taaffe, Gerard. “A Wonderland Wrought from One Man’s Vision.” Japan Times Nov. 1, 2001. Descanso Gardens, Undated brochure. www.descansogardens.org   JGarden Description: Nestled in the foothills of the majestic San Gabriel Mountains, Descanso Gardens is easily accessible from the #2 or #210 freeways and is conveniently located just 20 minutes from downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood and Burbank. The 160-acre garden is best known for its camellia forests featuring 20 varieties of Camellia reticulata imported from China in the 1940s and 100,000 Japanese camellias (C. japonica). A Japanese garden, tea house and minka (traditional farmhouse) also grace the garden. The Japanese garden incorporates features of tea, stroll and dry landscape garden types. An arched bridge and koi pond lead to the tea house which was designed by Whitney Smith and built in 1966. The plantings include Japanese maples, azaleas, bamboos and other Asian plants. The minka was designed and donated by Robert H. Kawashima in 1969. A Japanese Garden Festival is held here each fall and features bonsai and suiseki exhibitions as well as traditional Japanese dancing and drumming. In addition to the camellia forests and Japanese gardens, Descanso also boasts an impressive International Rosarium containing a collection of over 4,000 roses, a California Native Garden and other attractions. It has been owned by the County of Los Angeles since 1953 and managed by the Descanso Gardens Guild, a nonprofit organization, since 1993. Facilities include a café (10am – 3pm) and gift shop (10am – 4pm). Various tours are available for groups of 25 or more --- call (818) 949-7980 to reserve a tour. Some indoor facilities and outdoor sites can be rented for weddings and other events --- call (818) 949-4206 for more information.

Without a speck of dust's being raised, the mountains tower up; without a single drop's falling, the streams plunge into the valley.   Muso Soseki   Ode to the Dry Landscape   1275-1351