Lodz Botanical Garden
Photo: Krzysztof Ziarnek / Kenraiz / CC BY-SA 4.0, modified.
Overview
The Japanese Garden in Łódź Botanical Garden is a thematic section of one of Poland’s largest botanical gardens. The official garden plan places it in the north-eastern part of the Botanical Garden, near the main entrance from ul. Krzemieniecka, and gives its size as about 2 hectares. It presents plants from Japan, China and other Far Eastern countries.
History
The Botanical Garden in Łódź opened to the public in stages beginning in the 1970s. Public sources confirm that the garden includes several thematic sections, among them a Japanese garden. A local historical source says that construction of the present Botanical Garden began in 1967 according to a design by Henryk Tomaszewski, and that the first part was opened to visitors in 1973. Another account specifically says that during the 1967 construction works, artificial hills were made, rocks were brought in, and this is how the alpine garden and part of the Japanese garden were created.
For the date, the safest wording is from 1967 onward / opened as part of the Botanical Garden from 1973. A local historical source says that construction of the present Botanical Garden began in 1967 according to a design by Henryk Tomaszewski, and that the first part was opened to visitors in 1973. Another account specifically says that during the 1967 construction works, artificial hills were made, rocks were brought in, and this is how the alpine garden and part of the Japanese garden were created.
Design features
The Japanese Garden includes three small artificial hills covered with rocks and three water basins, two of which are separated by a stone bridge. Stones are also arranged in the water and along the pond edges. The planting focuses on Japanese, Chinese and other East Asian taxa rather than on a strictly classical Japanese garden form.
Garden elements
Bridges
Waters and islands
Stones
Current status
Extant Japanese garden section within Łódź Botanical Garden. It is publicly accessible during the botanical garden’s open season and functions mainly as a Japanese / East Asian plant display with ponds, rocks, small hills and bridge elements.