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Other events 2008 - 2009:
Saturday Special to Hasselt, 18th April
Friends, partners and spouses joined us on
this "Saturday Special" to Hasselt.
After a horrendous drive from Antwerp
through two sets of road works in end-of-Easter holiday traffic, we
eventually all arrived and the tour started
half an hour late.
This is Marleen, our excellent guide, who explained how the garden
came into being, the importance of the design and its various meanings.
However, we were very lucky with the weather and it remained fine and
sunny throughout.
It was the perfect time to view the garden as all the cherry trees were in
full bloom, giving us lots of perfect photo opportunities.
The garden is a gift to the town of Hasselt from the Japanese city of
Itami. The design was the work of the Japanese and they oversaw the
selection of the plants, fish and rocks for the garden.
Hasselt gave them a Carillon in a glass tower.
The garden is divided into three areas. This is the first
forms a transition from the western Kapermolen park to the central
Japanese part.
The design, water and the reflections in water,
rocks and architecture are interwoven. Vantage points are created along
with a miniature Japanese landscape.
There is a small pebble beach. Visitors can feed the enormous koi here
which clearly associate visitors with food.
The water at the edge was full of them.
We saw two
couples here having their photos taken. You can see one couple in the
background.
Above: One of our members is busy taking notes for the write-up in our
magazine.
Left: The group is entering the Ceremony House which is approached
along a path of stepping stones.
It is built in typical 17th century style. All the materials used in
the building of the ceremony house are natural and all brought from Japan.
When it was
damaged by flooding, the Japanese insisted that their own people came to
repair it.
As you might expect, there were lots of Acers of the Japanese variety.
They are generally smaller than European Acers. They have wonderful
colours in the autumn.
You can see the Tea House is set up on a hill on the right as you leave
the ceremony house. It is currently not accessible to visitors.
The large waterfall (below) was inspired by one in Kyoto.
Towards the end of the garden we pass over a zig-zag bridge, a special
feature as demons cannot turn 90 degrees so cannot follow us.
To the sides are square boxes for irises.
The evening ended at
De Groene Hendrickx, a converted gin distillery.
