Lan Su Chinese Garden facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lan Su Chinese Garden |
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Lake Zither at the center of the garden
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| Type | Chinese garden |
| Location | Portland, Oregon, United States |
| Area | 40,000 sq ft (4,000 m2) |
| Website | lansugarden.org |
Lan Su Chinese Garden (also known as 蘭蘇園) is a beautiful Chinese garden located in Portland, Oregon, in the United States. It's like a peaceful, walled-off block in the city. The garden covers about 40,000 square feet (about 3,700 square meters). This special place is designed to look and feel like the famous classical gardens in Suzhou, China. These gardens are known for their amazing beauty and calm atmosphere.
History of the Garden
The idea to build a Chinese garden in Portland started in the early 1980s. In 1988, Portland and Suzhou became "sister cities." This means they formed a special friendship to share culture and ideas. Portland's mayor, Vera Katz, helped a lot in the 1990s. She assisted the non-profit group that runs the garden in finding a good spot for it.
The garden was designed by a person named Kuang Zhen. About 65 skilled builders and artists from Suzhou, China, came to Portland to construct it. The land for the garden was given by a company called NW Natural for a very long time (99 years!). Building started in July 1999 and finished 14 months later. The whole project cost about $12.8 million.
A lot of special rocks were brought from China for the garden. About 500 tons of rock, including unique "Chinese scholar's rocks" from Lake Tai, were used. The garden officially opened on September 14, 2000.
In 2010, the garden celebrated its 10-year anniversary. To mark this special occasion, its name was changed to Lan Su Chinese Garden. The name "Su" stands for Suzhou, and "Lan" stands for Portland. It shows the strong connection between the two cities.
What You Can See in the Garden
About 90% of the plants you see in the Lan Su Chinese Garden are originally from China. However, no plants were brought directly from China. This is because of rules that prevent importing plants. Instead, many plants were found in gardens and nurseries in Oregon. These plants had grown from seeds or cuttings brought over before the import rules were in place.
Some plants in the garden are very old, even up to 100 years! There are over a hundred trees, orchids, water plants, perennials (plants that live for many years), bamboos, and unusual shrubs. In total, you can find more than 400 different kinds of plants here.
The most important part of the garden is the artificial Lake Zither. It is located right in the center. The garden also has many structures that are common in traditional Chinese gardens. These include covered walkways (called lang) and bridges (called qiáo).
Here are some of the special buildings and areas you can explore:
- Celestial Hall of Permeating Fragrance: This is a xuan, which is a scholar's studio. It's a quiet place where scholars would practice the Four Arts of the Chinese Scholar.
- Flowers Bathing in Spring Rain: This is a shuixie, a beautiful pavilion located next to the water.
- Painted Boat in Misty Rain: This is a fáng, a unique pavilion shaped like a boat.
- Moon Locking Pavilion: This is a tíng, a peaceful stopping place where you can rest and enjoy the views.
- Tower of Cosmic Reflection: This is a lóu, a two-story building that offers great views of the garden.
See also
In Spanish: Jardín chino clásico de Portland para niños
