The garden club members enjoyed docent-led tours of two charming Pasadena gardens at their March 12 meeting: Arlington Garden and Storrier-Stearns Japanese Garden.
Arlington Garden is a unique community garden created by neighbors who spearheaded, funded and volunteer to maintain the gardens on land formerly owned by Caltrans. Garden designer Myita Dinos docented the tour, sharing historical details of the gardens evolution at a time when Mediterranean and California native gardening was a novelty. This was the first designated public garden in Pasadena, opening in 2005. The 23 crêpe myrtle “wish trees” were donated by Yoko Ono.
The privately owned Storier-Sterns Japanese garden was installed by the owners, who began building the gardens in 1937 when they removed the estate’s tennis court to excavate. With the oversight of landscape designer Kinzuchi Fujii seven years-long garden includes the hill, pond and garden .
Beginning with the transition path to the unseen garden beyond,  members are invited to engage in nature. It is a charming and tranquil garden that includes an imported Japanese teahouse and a pond. An invoice copy on display shows the teahouse was purchased through San Gabriel Nursery, from member Mary Swanton’s grandfather.
This gem of a restorative garden is a hidden delight. The cultivated gardens, pond and sound of moving water, red slider turtles sunning on the rocks, and a heron who flew to a tall pine, greeted members as they enjoyed the garden tour.
