The Japanese Garden at Normandale Community College

The Japanese Garden has graced the grounds of Normandale Community College for over 45 years. This two-acre plot has been meticulously created and maintained to allow the students and community to have a place for quiet contemplation as well as to enjoy the beauty of the space.

There are several areas for parking and we inadvertently parked in the furthest lot away from the garden entrance. However, out mistake gave us a chance to walk across the campus and I encourage you to do a little exploration as well. We discovered that they also have a pollinator garden. Not only is it a beautiful little area, but is clearly an inviting habitat for buzzy little friends.

For those who have a budding interest in Geology, various types of rocks are on display with notations about the rocks nearby.

A few sculptures are displayed in memoriam.

If you grab a few quarters before leaving your car, now is the time to pull them out. Just outside the Entrance Gate is a Koi feed machine. Grab yourself a handful before coming in. Even if you don’t have quarters (like us!) The flashy Koi are still willing to swirl about in a slow methodical dance for visitors.

After entering the gate, to the left is the Square Shelter where you can enjoy a little shade, as well as grab a brochure about the gardens itself. While the gardens aren’t huge it would be easy enough to spend an hour or more here exploring its features as well as relaxing. While the traditional Japanese flora could not survive Minnesota winter, care has been taken to find over 300 plants, shrubs and trees that could survive as well as be shaped into similar styles as their Japanese counterparts. Artful pruning and careful training create a wonderful reflection of the gardens they emulate. As you view the gardens, it's amazing to realize you are viewing 45 years worth of collective work and that tending to the gardens gets more difficult the older the garden gets.

Both the Bentendo or the “goddess of fortune” “building” (a hexagon-shaped accent building) and the Taikobshi bridge are a memorial donated with funds collected by Nisea military Veterans that were here in Minnesota during World War II. As you follow the path through the gardens you will find several places to sit, relax and enjoy silence or the peaceful gurgle of water as it cascades down into the pools. Small pedestrian bridges cross over the waterways connecting the small islands. Rocks give backbone to the garden, giving it structure and strength. You can find places to sit among all of this; or venture up to the Round Shelter soaking in the entire garden, the reflection upon the water, and the peacefulness from a slightly higher vantage point.

The Japanese Garden is free to enter, but donations are accepted, and volunteers welcomed. The garden is definitely a place to escape the hustle and bustle of life as well as get a glimpse into the Japanese culture. According to their website, they also offer tours as well as classroom and scouting activities. Thanks for stopping in today and remember to get out there and explore, because it's all an adventure! Amy N https://www.normandale.edu/community/japanese-garden 9700 France Avenue South Bloomington, MN 55431-