One way to learn about the elements of Japanese gardens is to attend regional events or biennial conferences sponsored by the North American Japanese Garden Association.
Such events combine workshops with local experts and tours of nearby gardens for a full experience.
I’m still catching up on many gardens visited and not yet posted. Shofuso Japanese House and Garden in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was host to this regional event in 2013 concentrating on water features.
Francis Weng discussed the chemistry of ponds
(photo by Bill F. Eger)
Jim Lampl discusses waterfall construction during the NAJGA regional conference on ponds at Shofuso in Philadelphia (photo by Bill F. Eger)
Kimberly Andrews, past president of NAJGA and director of Shofuso, welcomes the regional conference attendees to Philadelphia (photo by Bill F. Eger)
Dr. Seiko Goto discusses repairs to the pond at Byodo-In that restored the suhama, a smooth stone beach extending into the pond. (photo by Bill F. Eger)
a class photo from the NAJGA regional conference in Philadelphia 2013
entry to Shofuso with a new (in 2013) hornbean hedge to direct traffic (photo by Bill F. Eger)
detail on a gift rock from China (photo by K.T. Cannon-Eger)
Shofuso, the side facing the pond (photo by Bill F. Eger)
the pond, repaired after flood waters about six years ago (photo by K.T. Cannon-Eger)
a boat dock stone is used as a place to stand and feed the fish (photo by K.T. Cannon-Eger)
koi in the pond at Shofuso (photo by K.T. Cannon-Eger)
a serene guardian tucked into a bamboo hedge at Shofuso (photo by K.T. Cannon-Eger)
To learn more about Shofuso Japanese House and Garden, please refer to
http://japanphilly.org/shofuso/
To learn more about the North American Japanese Garden Association, membership, journal, conferences and events, please refer to https://najga.org/
U.S. Japanese Gardens 