Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden at CSULB

Special Interests

History		*page 1 of 5*
Welcome to the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden. We sincerely hope that you find the garden a tranquil and enjoyable experience. An island of serenity amid the bustle of California State University, Long Beach. The 1.5 acre garden was built through the generosity of Mrs. Loraine Miller Collins. This Garden was named in honor of her late husband, Earl Burns Miller, as an educational and aesthetic resource for the campus and the community. Following three years of planning, in cooperation with the university, Mrs. Collins selected Long Beach landscape architect Edward R. Lovell to design the garden. To prepare for the project, Mr. Lovell visited Japanese garden in Japan and in the United States. Construction on the garden began in the summer of 1980 and it was dedicated in April, 1981. The resulting garden reflects the university's ongoing interest in international education. The university's community is delighted to have you share in this educational, cultural and aesthetic resource.
Since about the 15th century, the nature of the traditional Japanese garden has been molded by the religion and philosophy of Zen Buddhism. Zen had always had a special reverence for nature, inspired by the natural beauty of the Japanese landscape. Gardens associated with their temples provided an appropriate way to express this attitude toward nature. Their aesthetic values and symbolism became incorporated into the gardens. Unlike the more formal and showy Western gardens, these have a certain austerity befitting their style. Eventually, Japanese gardens became an art form in themselves, yet continue to incorporate the important natural elements of water, stone, and plants. Placement and interweaving of these elements in a Japanese garden is determined by the aesthetic qualities of naturalness asymmetry. When one is looking at the stone pagodas, grouping of plants or rocks, or the rails on a bridge, one sees odd numbers. The overall impact of Japanese gardens today should elicit individual aesthetic responses, impressions, and feelings for nature.
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