Morikami Gardens

When I was in Florida I visited Morikami Gardens with my sister and brother-in-law.  I had never heard of it.  I was amazed to find that this beautiful tribute to Japanese culture existed in Delray.  I took pics but they are not great (I had put a business card in my cell phone case and it was blocking part of the lens.  not a bright idea of mine.  well I will never do that again!)

"Visitors are surprised to find a century-old connection between Japan and South Florida.  It was here that a group of young Japanese farmers created a community intended to revolutionize agriculture in the Sunshine State.
In 1904 Jo Sakai, a recent graduate of New York University, returned to his hometown of Miyazu, Japan, to organize a group of pioneering farmers and lead them to what is now northern Boca Raton.  With the help of the Model Land Company, a subsidiary of Henry Flagler's Florida East Coast Railway, they formed a farming colony they named Yamato, an ancient name for Japan.
Ultimately, the results of their crop experimentation were disappointing and the Yamato colony fell far short of its goals.  By the 1920s the community, which had never grown beyond 30 to 35 individuals, finally surrendered its dream.  At least one settler, though, remained - George Sukeji Morikami.  George continued to cultivate local crops and act as a fruit and vegetable wholesaler.  In the mid-1970s when George was in his 80s, he donated land to Palm Beach County with the wish that it be used as a park to preserve the memory of the pioneering Yamato Colony.
His dream came true in 1977 when the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens became a center for Japanese arts and culture in South Florida."
"Today, the Morikami Museum boasts rotating exhibitions in its galleries, tea ceremonies performed in its Seishin-an Tea House, an educational outreach program connecting to local schools and organizations, and Japanese traditional festivals and special events celebrated throughout the year.
The Morikami, with its unique gardens and collections, is one of Palm Beach County's most treasured cultural attractions.  Located in a tranquil natural setting, the Morikami invites visitors to explore its many facets and to discover Florida's heritage and its connection with Japan."




Lunch before we walked around was so delicious.  I had salmon teriyaki (yum!)  The pic 
of course got ruined by my camera.





You can see how the haze of the business card ruined my pics. (so mad)





Coy fish - these fish cost about $300 each!



I am feeding the Coy fish.

So many places to sit and enjoy just being there!

If you listen the Bamboo sings to you!

                                                                                    

quoted text taken from Morikami Visitors' Guide.
To learn more about Morikami Gardens visit their site here .