## Exploring Japanistic Gardens in the US
As we enter the season of autumn colors, I am reminded of the stunning beauty found in historic Japanese gardens. These gardens have a unique appreciation for the fleeting beauty of trees and leaves in autumn. While Japanese gardens can be found outside of Japan, they are not exact replicas. Instead, I like to think of them as “Japanistic,” blending Japanese design elements with local influences.
One such Japanistic garden surprised me during my visit to Mount Desert Island in Maine. I was there to pay tribute to landscape designer Beatrix Farrand, and during my busy schedule, I stumbled upon the Asticou Azalea Garden, run by the island’s Land and Garden Preserve. Initially, I had low expectations, but the garden’s water features, winding paths, stones, and plants captivated me. Despite being 66 years old, it shows no signs of retirement.
As I entered the garden, I was greeted by well-pruned rhododendrons and a meticulously raked path, reminiscent of the gardens in Kyoto. I admired the clear water of the nearby lake and the thoughtfully planted trees and shrubs. I had the pleasure of meeting the garden’s manager, Mary Roper, who helped me understand the garden’s essence. Raking the paths is her daily labor of love, just like the many other aspects of the garden she has tended to for the past 34 years.
This Japanistic garden was initially designed by the hotel owner, Charles Savage. Despite having no prior experience in major landscaping projects, Savage admired the gardens on Mount Desert Island and wanted to create something similar. In 1955, when landscape designer Beatrix Farrand decided to demolish her summer home, Savage saw an opportunity. He purchased her remarkable azaleas and rhododendrons and pondered where to place them and how to finance the move.
With the help of John D. Rockefeller, America’s first billionaire and a lover of the island’s landscape, Savage found the support he needed. They shared a fascination with Asian art, a theme that blended well with the features of Mount Desert Island. Pine trees and rocks from the island’s shores were already being used to add a touch of Japanistic style to gardens in the area. Some even incorporated beautifully manicured green moss along their driveways, reminiscent of the gardens in Kyoto.
Since Farrand’s plants had origins from Asia, a Japanistic setting was the perfect fit. Savage dedicated himself to researching and studying Japanese garden design. Although he never visited Japan, he extensively studied books on the subject, including Osvald Siren’s “Gardens of China” and Jiro Harada’s “The Gardens of Japan.” Armed with this knowledge, he set out to create a Japanistic landscape on a swampy piece of land across from his hotel.
Savage’s remarkable vision came to fruition through meticulous planning and collaboration with local landscape gardeners and stone carvers. When he desired the look of a rocky shore, he scoured Maine’s beaches for the perfect pebbles, even repurposing stones and tiles from demolished holiday homes. Rockefeller generously contributed to the transportation of the shrubs and materials, ensuring the garden’s success.
Although Savage passed away in 1979, his wife Mary Rockefeller donated $50,000 to prevent the decline of the garden. Today, the harmony of Savage’s design, the picturesque lake, the stone bridges, and the well-maintained paths continue to testify to his extraordinary vision. Some of the original trees, like the weeping hemlock and the brilliant Japanese malus tree, still thrive in the garden.
Mary Roper, along with Savage’s immediate successors, works diligently to maintain the garden’s integrity. They reshape overgrown trees and replace those that have died out, ensuring that the garden continues to evolve. This weekend, the garden is at its best, showcasing the vibrant colors of autumn.
In the 1980s, Professor Thomas Hall from St. Louis carried Savage’s legacy forward. He invited two Japanese masters to further shape and prune the garden, adding more rocks to enhance its design. Other talented individuals followed, including Beth Straus, a lover of Asian art who played a pivotal role in preserving the garden’s authenticity. Roper, with Straus’s guidance, quickly embraced the Japanese style, avoiding the use of tropical plants and strictly adhering to the Japanistic aesthetic.
Savage designed the garden to be viewed from car windows, making it a drive-past attraction. However, the view was partially obstructed by mugo pines, which have since died, revealing the original vision. Inside the garden, a puzzle has been solved. Savage used fine white sand to create groupings of weathered rocks in a dry garden, inspired by Kyoto’s Ryoan-ji garden. Although any intended reference to real or mythical landscapes may have been lost, Roper recently discovered that Savage’s arrangement of rocks in the dry garden symbolically connects to the Porcupine Islands visible from Mount Desert’s famous cliffs at Cadillac Mountain. Emphasizing the local connection, the dry garden has become a priority in the garden’s maintenance.
It is worth celebrating the remarkable story of a novice designer who created a bold and historically significant collection of Asian shrubs. With the support of financial backers, talented collaborators, and caring successors, Savage’s vision has become a heavenly reality.
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