Wednesday, January 14, 2009

The Japanese Gardens in Winter



Adjacent to our Birmingham Botanical Gardens you'll find the picturesque Japanese Gardens.  I ventured over last Sunday after my walk,  on a cold, dreary day.  Not the best conditions for a photo shoot, but I am a desperate woman !  I walked to the very edge of the gardens and wandered into this amazing bamboo forest.  If my hands hadn't been numb, I would have thought I had been transported to a tropical isle!  It was a tad too dark for  photographs , but I hope you get the feeling.

Please visit my new blog

The Tune du Jour is " Someone to Watch Over Me" by Rod Stewart





21 comments:

Wayne said...

The bamboo turned out to be very effective enlarged.

Olivier said...

c'est toujours aussi beau un jardin japonais, cela donne envie de se poser et de juste respirer tranquillement sans faire de bruit. J'adore cette atmosphère.

it is always so beautiful Japanese garden, it makes you want to ask and just breathe quietly without making noise. I love this atmosphere.

alice said...

Zen...

Diederick Wijmans said...

The Japanese gardens always have those perfect proportions which emanate tranquillity.
Beautiful photo, V, especially the one with the trees!!

angela said...

I love the peace and tranquillity of a Japanese garden. I hope you'll be able to return in Spring and show us some more photos.

Thérèse said...

Of course we get the feeling, a quiet and peaceful feeling.

Jane Hards Photography said...

Feeling Zen are we? My post is but I'm not. Love the bold in shot two and the hidden treaure and seclusion of shot one. Serenity. Ohm.

Halcyon said...

I love the bamboo! The photo is lovely. You really have a lot of nice places in Birmingham. I'm jealous!

Anonymous said...

If you're ever out this way, I'll take you on a tour of the Japanese Garden at the Huntington Gardens. Would love to see your take on that.

MadAboutParis said...

Rouge-Rouge-Rouge - Good Golly Miss Molly - c'est parfait!!!
xx,
M

PJ said...

You've dfinitely caught the mood. I almost went to our local bamboo merchant yesterday, he also has peacocks wandering the grounds.

I left a post on Kittykins last night. It isn't there today. My comments are disappearing again. Either everyone hates me or Blogger has me ear-marked for oblivion again. La sigh...

Marie-Noyale said...

It's amazing how the bamboo forest does not give at all the cold feeling you had...it looks warm!!

Pat said...

I think I've been watching too many episodes of LOST! The top one is quite lovely, and recalls the jungle where the survivors often run into The Others....woooo.


I too love to walk in Japanese gardens, and posted a Zen sort of photo today.

Virginia said...

PJ.
Leave it again. Kittykins is enjoying her 15 minutes of fame!

BIBI, It was Zen with a chill! ha

AH, I would love to tour around LA with you. Would I ever be able to stop laughing? Yeah, about 15 minutes into a hike up a mountain I would be spewing expletives. Let's just say I'm over the hill and not all that great at climbing one.

W,
Never doubt me.

Bob Crowe said...

This is lovely. If I were told the pictures were taken in Japan I wouldn't doubt it. It's surprising how much bamboo grows in colder climates in that country. Torii gates are supposed to keep out evil spirits. Is it working in B'ham?

Virginia said...

Bob,
Oh yes, no evil spirits here except for our mayor!

Jilly said...

Japanese gardens are so peaceful. There's one in Monaco and when you enter, suddenly you are in an ordered and quiet environment.

I love the bamboo shot - the sound of the wind in bamboo is fabulous.

Janet Kincaid said...

The bamboo shot is PERFECT! You may think it's too dark, but the darkness contributes to the mysterious and beauty I love in bamboo forests. Very nice, VJ.

And remind me the next time you're up this way to take you to the National Arboretum to see the bonsai and penjing exhibits. Your bottom photo reminded me of that.

Bergson said...

i like japanen garden
always colored

marley said...

I just realised I looked at these yesterday and forgot to comment. I liked them so much I was distracted! The first photo is my favourite :)

Ming the Merciless said...

I love the bamboo forest -- so calm and beautiful.