From abandoned gravel pit to enchanted refuge: The construction of the Japanese Garden

The Japanese Garden has a uniquely organic quality. It seems to have grown out of the landscape.

This illusion is part of the garden’s magic, because the Japanese Garden was shaped by human hands. The site began as a small gully that led into the Trinity River floodplain. Over time it was used as a water hole for cattle, a trash dump, and a gravel quarry.

(Article continues below images.)

Japanese Garden footpaths under construction — One of the first steps in constructing the Japanese Garden involved laying out footpaths. In this image, you can see the paths have been leveled and reinforced with rebar in preparation for paving.

Base of the Japanese Garden Dry Garden under construction — Piers were sunk deep into the ground to provide a base for the Dry Garden.

Workers pour concrete in the Japanese Garden pond under construction — Concrete was poured in the future streambed after the area was excavated.

Japanese Garden streambed construction — The concrete base of the pond was shaped to create multiple waterfalls.

Workers place boulders in the Japanese Garden — Enormous boulders were brought in placed around the garden and in the pond and waterfalls.

Historic photo of Japanese Garden streambed under construction — The waterfall required dozens of boulders to be carefully arranged.

Japanese Garden stepping stones under construction — In this image, the completed stepping stones are ready for the pond to be filled with water.

Pathways in the Japanese Garden before landscaping — This photo shows the winding pathways of the Japanese Garden after construction was completed but before shrubs and plants were added.

Spire installation at Japanese Garden pagoda — The spire of the Pagoda was carefully lifted into place by a crane.

Japanese Garden stairs under construction — Complicated wooden forms were needed to pour the concrete for the stairs that climb the Japanese Garden's hillsides.

Umstead Tea House under construction — The Umstead Tea House was erected on its platform over the pond.

Gardeners fill the Japanese Garden with plants — With construction complete, gardeners and horticulturists began to fill the landscape with plants.

Ponds and islands in the Japanese Garden under construction — Large shrubs and trees required cranes to help in their placement.

Japanese Garden entrance shortly after opening — The Japanese Garden opened for guests in 1973.

Japanese Garden entrance at dusk — This dramatic photo depicts the Japanese Garden at dusk not long after construction wrapped up.

Tea Ceremony at Japanese Garden Fall Festival ca 1977 — A woman dressed in a beautiful kimono performs a tea ceremony in the Tea House as part of the Japanese Fall Festival, ca. 1977.

A little boy feeds the koi fish in the Japanese Garden ca 1973 — Once the ponds were completed, koi were brought to the Japanese Garden. This little boy was among the first of what would become many generations of guests who enjoy feeding the fish.

But horticulturists and gardeners at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden looked at the wooded valley and had a vision of a sunken garden. The City of Fort Worth purchased the property in 1963; in 1968, the city hired Kingsley Wu, a professor of environmental living at Texas Women’s University, to design the space. Additional plans were drawn up by Fort Worth-based architect Al Komatsu.

Construction began in 1970, and the garden opened its doors in 1973. The construction process was documented by city staff with a series of photos, photos that are now held in the BRIT Library & Special Collections. Recently, the collection was digitized and added to the digital repository The Portal to Texas History, hosted by the UNT Libraries.

We hope you enjoy this look back at the process that carved the beloved paths and waterfalls of the Japanese Garden from an unprepossessing gully and dry streambed–and join us in thanking those who created this magical haven.

Elizabeth Lunday

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Stonemasons photographed at Shelter House ca 1934

90th Anniversary

“Out of a mud hole and weed patch:” The Garden’s origins as Depression-era jobs program

During some of the darkest days in American history, Fort Worth workers created an urban oasis. Photos from the era capture construction from preparing the ground to welcoming guests.

Elizabeth Lunday October 28, 2024

FORT WORTH BOTANIC GARDEN

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Fort Worth, Texas 76107
(817) 463-4160
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BOTANICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF TEXAS

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We respectfully acknowledge that the Fort Worth Botanic Garden is located on traditional lands of Indigenous Peoples. We honor the ancestry, heritage, and gifts of all Indigenous Peoples who were sustained by these lands and give thanks to them. We are grateful that these lands continue to provide enrichment for many people today. [More…]

From abandoned gravel pit to enchanted refuge: The construction of the Japanese Garden

Research Team

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“Out of a mud hole and weed patch:” The Garden’s origins as Depression-era jobs program