MFA Boston Japanese Garden

If you are in Boston and in need of a little serenity and beauty, the Japanese Garden at the Museum of Fine Arts is a perfect spot to rest for a bit, away from the busy world. I can imagine a half hour of reflection and relaxation, sitting on a bench while eating lunch in the peaceful garden.

As you enter through the kabukimon-style gate, take a deep breath and let your worries drift away for a while. Enjoy the karesansui garden, the beautiful plants that bring color to the landscape, the dry waterfall, and the stone lanterns (toro) found on the Japanese Garden grounds.

Another name for the MFA Japanese Garden, Tenshin-en is "Garden of the Heart of Heaven". As you walk or sit in the contemplative garden, you will feel how apt the alternate name is. 

To learn more about this beautifully peaceful garden, visit the MFA Boston site by clicking this link 

Rocks at Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe is a beautiful spot to stop and visit as you travel in Nevada or California. The calm water and stunning sky will make your stop or detour worth it.

 

We visited Crystal Bay where there is public beach access. There is a small fee to park in the official parking lot, but you can also park in the little community too.

The water was cool and refreshing during our visit in May. I imagine it feels even better during the hot summer months! Most of the beach is rocky and you can find interesting wildlife among the large rocks. We saw many birds and even a tiny snake when we moved one of the rocks.

Stone Lantern at Japanese Gardens

While visiting Japanese Gardens in Portland, Oregon you will not only walk through lovely landscaped areas, you will see stone pieces, waterfalls, a tea house, and you can learn about the Japanese history in the Pacific Northwest.

 The peaceful beauty of the Portland Japanese Gardens is wonderful to enjoy in the spring and summer. Flowers will be in bloom as you walk through the garden along the paved or stone paths. There are benches throughout the gardens where you can sit and rest every so often during your exploration of the gardens.

Make sure to take a look at all the pathways. This stone lantern was tucked away on a little short path that I saw some visitors pass by. Take your time and enjoy the fresh air, sound of flowing water, the greenery surrounding you. It's almost as if you have been transported to a different environment, tucked away in the big city.

Colorful Wildflowers in the Garden

 Add some bright color to your garden or yard with a pretty mixture of wildflowers. You can buy the see packets in the spring and sprinkle them in the empty spaces in your garden. 

When you plant wildflower seeds, it's always a fun surprise waiting to see which flowers will bloom in your garden. There are even bee and butterfly mixes that you can buy to help encourage pollination in your area.

 Most of the seed packets say that they are annual (meaning that you will have to plant seeds each year), but I have found that each spring we have 3 or 4 plants that come back from the previous year.