OPEN HOUSE HELD AT THE JAPANESE GARDEN IN VAN NUYS.Byline: Sherry Joe Crosby Staff Writer In celebration of fall, The Japanese Garden Japanese gardens (Kanji 日本庭園, nihon teien), that is, gardens in traditional Japanese style, can be found at private homes, in neighborhood or city parks, at Buddhist temples or Shinto shrines, and at historical landmarks such as old castles. held an open house Saturday featuring demonstrations of bonsai bonsai (bōn`sī), art of cultivating dwarf trees. Bonsai, developed by the Japanese more than a thousand years ago, is derived from the Chinese practice of growing miniature plants. gardening, origami The code name for Microsoft's Ultra-Mobile PC. See Ultra-Mobile PC. and t'ai chi ch'uan, an ancient Chinese martial arts form. ``The purpose is to let people know about this garden,'' said Jean Jauck, chairwoman of the advisory board that oversees the operation of the 6-1/2-acre garden adjacent to the Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant. ``There are so many people who don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. about us,'' Jauck said. Called Autumn in the Garden, the daylong event featured exhibits of Japanese gardening and culture, including bonsai - the art of dwarfing plants - origami paper folding and ikebana ikebana Japanese art of flower arranging. It was introduced in Japan in the 6th century by Chinese Buddhist missionaries, who had formalized the ritual of offering flowers to the Buddha. The first school of flower arranging in Japan was founded in the early 7th century. , or flower arranging. Greg Greene and Daniela Perrotta, who live near the garden but had never visited it, were struck by its beauty and tranquillity. ``It's gorgeous,'' said Perrotta, 22, a sales assistant, as she gazed across meandering streams, waterfalls, lakes, arched bridges and trimmed greenery. Vivien Hodge, a garden volunteer, called the site ``the best-kept secret in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. .'' ``It's a beautiful garden, and it has lots of beautiful birds,'' said Hodge, 79, of Sherman Oaks, as she spied a snowy white egret egret (ēgrĕt`), common name for several species of herons of the Old and New Worlds, belonging to the family Ardeidae. Before they were protected by law the birds were nearly exterminated by hunters seeking their beautiful, white, silky perched atop a sculpted sculpt v. sculpt·ed, sculpt·ing, sculpts v.tr. 1. To sculpture (an object). 2. To shape, mold, or fashion especially with artistry or precision: pine tree. Saturday's event is one of two open houses held each year by the garden. In the spring, the garden sponsors Swallow Day. About 16,000 people visit The Japanese Garden every year. Of those, about 60 percent are school students, officials said. Simone Lerman, 62, of Tarzana decided to visit the garden for the first time after reading a notice about the open house in the Daily News. ``I had no idea this was out here,'' said Lerman, a retired class instructor at Mommy and Me, as she learned how to fold newspaper coupons into soaring butterflies. ``This has been fascinating, and it's been gorgeous on top of it.'' George Fujimoto, 70, a five-year garden volunteer, taught visitors how to transform plastic six-pack rings into fanciful hyacinths, roses and irises. He said his artwork fits in perfectly with the recycling theme of the garden. ``The whole theme of this place is reclaiming and recycling water,'' Fujimoto said. ``I'm recycling the plastic. If you're going to cut this, why not cut it and make it beautiful?'' CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: Docent Hilda Chapman shows a paper swan she made during her origami demonstration Saturday. Evan Yee/Staff Photographer |
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