Japanese
Garden features colorful chrysanthemus
Matt
Logan/DailyForty-Niner
By
Matt Logan
On-line Forty-Niner
Walking
through the gate and into the Japanese Garden
is like stepping into another world, a world
that, on Nov. 2, was overrun by Chrysanthemums.
The
Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden held a
Chrysanthemum Festival on Sunday that ran
from noon until 4 p.m. The garden came alive
with people blanketing its walkways and
the chrysanthemums bloomed like miniature
horticulture fireworks. As the Koi fish
swam near the chrysanthemums above, people
bought little cups of fish food, for 25
cents or a donation of any higher amount.
"It
felt funny and kind of slimy when the fish
sucked on my fingers when I feed'em,"
said Justine Zehmer, 6, of Seal Beach.
The
Japanese Garden was dedicated in April of
1981 and is located near Lot 16, off Earl
Warren Drive, on campus. This hidden secret
hosts many festivals and other engagements
year round.
Georgia
Soles, 72, of the Orange County Chrysanthemum
Society won five out of the seven major
categories.
"I
love flowers, that's why I do it,"
Soles said, "and I've met some wonderful
and dedicated people."
Soles
sat proudly near her flowering creations
and talked with those who admired her work.
The
festival offered more then just chrysanthemums
and Koi fish, there were small exhibits
where volunteers told legends and old tales
of Japanese traditions and culture.
Japanese styled tea was offered for the
guests as they meandered on the green paths
that roamed throughout the garden. Selected
flowers were also on sale if those in attendance
wanted to take a bit of the festival home.
Pam
McPhee of the Surf City Red Hats club said
that the garden was, "lovely and the
flowers were absolutely beautiful."
The
Japanese Garden at Cal State Long Beach
is, "One of the widely utilized and
socially conscious gardens in North America,"
said Kendall Brown in his book, "Japanese
Style Gardens of The Pacific West Coast."
Garden
Director Jeanette Schelin explained how
the garden is just a 5-minute walk from
central campus and is excellent when it
comes to relieving stress and unwinding.
"You
can achieve at a higher level if you are
relaxed," said Schelin.
Vergil
Hettick, the garden curator, agreed with
Schelin when he said that the garden is
a, "quiet and meditative place."
Hettick
explained how the garden is so versatile
that it has been used for just about any
event from weddings and poetry readings
to being rented for film projects.
The
garden's next event is the Koi Round Up
and Auction, and will be Nov. 16 from 9
a.m. to 3 p.m. Prices could range, depending
on the fish, from a couple of dollars to
an upward of $100.
"Koi
is Love," as Hettick put it.
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