Stress management 101

Entrance to Japanese Garden-author photo

Urban life stressing you out too much? Take that pressure level down a notch at two tranquil gardens in Hermann Park—both free, of course.

First, we’ll check out the rose and herb gardens at the HoustonGardenCenter. This is a perfect place to learn about roses and herbs, both of which have extensive gardens devoted to them. Be aware, though, that there’s no gift shop or library here, just gardens. The stately building you see is a meeting place for many of the plant societies around our town.

On a hot day, it’s a kind of aromatherapy to breathe in the heady scent of beds and beds of roses. Birds trill as you walk on the pathways between the roses, which are well cared for in raised beds. You might see a rose that attracts you with its scent, or growth habit, or profusion of blooms. Lo and behold, there’s a tag identifying it, so there’s no guessing about its name. Roses are a little particular about where they want to be planted, so it’s worth it to pay attention to how the folks here have done it.

Newcomers and lazy gardeners can take notes to see what perennials we can grow that will give a lot of bang for the buck. Colorful rudbeckias, pentas, echinaceas, and other plants beloved of butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds flourish here. Children will love the “cat’s whiskers” perennial. Persimmon trees do well in Houston, and the orangey-red fruits are a welcome bonus. For a damp spot in the landscape, get your inspiration from the bog garden.

As you wander around you’ll see several statues dedicated to former leaders of Central and South American countries.

The herb garden was developed in 1961-62 by Madalene Hill, the well-known herb expert, who devised the plant list for it. Each bed rests under a semi-shaded wooden pergola in 8’ by 12’ raised brick beds, the kind that herbs love best. Each bed has a theme: rosemary bed, culinary bed, lemon bed, potpourri bed, knot garden, and scented geranium bed. It’s a treat to stop, rest on a bench under the dappled light of the pergola, and breathe in the exotic perfumes of the various herbs here. Favorites might be the lemon bed, which has all the citrusy lemon-scented herbs, or the rosemary bed, full of the many cultivars of this fragrant, pine-scented culinary plant. Again, everything’s labeled.

Next stop is a unique and exotic garden in the park, the Japanese Garden. It’s hard to imagine a busier place in our city than the TexasMedicalCenter, yet nearby in HermannPark, we’re lucky to have this secret oasis of calm and beauty to revive us.

This scenic garden was designed by noted Japanese landscape artist, Ken Nakajima, and was a collaboration between businesses here and in Japan. It’s designed as a daimyo garden, a recreational one, as opposed to the perhaps more familiar Zen garden, which is usually found near temples.

For centuries, Japanese gardens have been carefully composed with great regard for symbolism, which you’ll see here. The dry landscape garden at the entrance represents a seascape: large boulders indicate landmasses, the black moon rock is the sea, and the swishing of the bamboo is similar to the sound of the ocean. Houston’s sister city, Chiba, gave us the granite welcoming lantern in which the spirit of the garden is said to repose.

Notice that the paths are all curved, and run from east to west. Curved paths not only change the viewpoint constantly as you stroll along, but also keep evil from following you, according to Buddhist belief.

The trickling of water from a small stream serenades as you wend your way from one attractive vista to another. Picturesque bridges crisscross the stream, and graceful aquatic plants furnish hiding places and food for the darting koi. Ducks waddle by, but resist the urge to feed them, the squirrels, or the fish!

A focal point of the garden is the teahouse, the azumaya. Built in Japan of Hinoki cypress and other traditional materials, it has mortise and tenon construction for the joints; no nails were used. The traditional Japanese tea ceremony is presented here.

Cherry trees in bloom are one of the sights most beloved by the Japanese. Evoking their blossoms, crepe myrtles in many shades of pink add their lacy and refreshing charm to this springlike vista even when the temperature tops a hundred. A waterfall tumbles over huge boulders of Texas pink granite into the still pond below.

A wealth of textural and color variety ensures beautiful blooms and foliage at any time of the year. You’ll feel your blood pressure drop, and walk away revived after visiting these two gardens, ready to take on the world. And isn’t that worth it?

Thanks for reading, and if you have a favorite garden spot, let me know. Send comments and questions to: eileenhouston@ymail.com