valentine's day Window to Another World

valentine's day

Window to China

A couple of weeks ago, you may remember I drove down to Pasadena with Mom and Daughter in tow. We had a chance to visit the Huntington Library Botanical Gardens. Time was short, but one of the things we wanted to see was the new Chinese Garden area. It is simply stunning. Absolutely transportive.

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Bie You Dong Tian

The garden has been named Liu Fang Yuan, which means Garden of Flowing Fragrance, referring to the large numbers of scented flowers and trees. One enters through the Main Gate, or Bie You Dong Tian, Another World Lies Beyond.....and truly, it does.

Here are just a few of the photos I captured that day.

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Jing Yun Bi, The Wall of Colorful Clouds

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Tea House: Yu Ming Tang, Hall of the Jade Camellia

Plantain Court: Ba Jiao Yuan

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Paving Detail in Plantain Court. So Beautiful!

Fretwork Detail at the Tea House

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Bridge of Verdant Mist, Cui Xia Qiao
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Paving Detail of path leading to the Bridge

Pavilion of the Three Friends (Very appropriate for the three of us!) valentine's day

Detail of the ceiling in the Pavilion of Three Friends

Terrace of the Jade Mirror, Yu Jing Tai

Love for the Lotus Pavilion, Ai Lian Xie

We wished we could have spent a full day here, but the park was closing, and we had to go.

I encourage anyone planning a trip to Southern California to make a full day plan to visit the Huntington Botanical Gardens. There is so much to see, and it is truly one of the treasures in the area.

For more information about the Chinese Garden click HERE. To learn more about the next phase, click HERE.