Seattle Chinese Garden 西华园

“We could never have loved the earth so well if we had had no childhood in it, if it were not the earth where the same flowers come up again every spring that we used to gather with our tiny fingers as we sat lisping to ourselves on the grass, the same hips and haws on the autumn hedgerows, the same redbreasts that we used to call ‘God’s birds’ because they did no harm to the precious crops. What novelty is worth that sweet monotony where everything is known and loved because it is known?”
George Eliot, The Mill on the Floss

This month, Garden volunteers planted seven more Prunus mume trees in the Welcome Garden – adding to the four planted in June 2012. These winter-blooming mei hua now line the entry path of the Seattle Chinese Garden.

Volunteers from left: Karyn Kanning, Stella Chien, Logan Bingle, Barb DeLauter, Haruka Saitoh, and Janice Hendrikson

The brief break in wet weather gave volunteers small respite from the usual weeding. Instead, they spent the day in back-breaking lifting and shoveling. The soil, wet from winter rains, could not have been heavier despite the help of hefty digging from the backhoe. The work was arduous, yet these invaluable volunteers gladly stretched their muscles and vigorously worked the earth - illustrating through their hard efforts the true meaning of building a community gathering place.

Volunteers Rick Vadnais (maneuvering the backhoe) with Garden president Jon Geiger (orange shirt) and Kurt Demontigny supervising (all three work for Boeing).

Stella Chien wielding the pickaxe with Barb DeLauter ready to shovel the loosened soil

The hardy Prunus mume were donated by Stella Chien in celebration of the life of her husband Chih-hsing John Chien (June 23, 1930 – January 8, 2012). John and his wife Stella have been very active in community affairs to support Chinese immigrants and preserve Chinese culture. They became members of the Seattle Chinese Garden Society in the 80's and worked tirelessly to start the traditional Szechwan style garden in Seattle to connect the people of Seattle with the Chinese culture of which John was so proud.

Rodney (Grace Chien's husband) holds the tree while volunteers help line it up

Volunteers Logan Bingle and Bill Beineke waiting for the next Prunus mume to be unloaded from the truck

The blossoms of these special trees appear in late winter, before the leaves sprout, and have a sweet lingering scent. Over time, the tree has come to symbolize the culture, spirit, and character of the Chinese people (The Sweetness of Mei Hua). Visitors to the Garden will now find two powerful scents to lure them into its beauty: Mei hua (Prunus mume) as you enter, and Wintersweet (Chimonanthus) as you explore Song Mei Ting in the back of Knowing the Spring Courtyard.

Stella Chien with daughters Ginger (left) and Grace (right) in front of Knowing the Spring Courtyard

Two leaders of Seattle Chinese Garden’s horticultural committee swept top honors at the 2013 Northwest Flower and Garden Show. Designers for 23 gardens took inspiration from the show theme of “The Silver Screen Takes Root … Gardens Go Hollywood.” Our golden guys looked far across the Pacific for their film and floral inspiration.

Phil Wood co-designed “A Hobbit’s New Zealand Garden” for the Arboretum Foundation in association with the Washington Park Arboretum. Inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic fantasy novels and the movie adaptations, The Lord of The Rings and The Hobbit, the arboretum design team created a garden any Hobbit would love. The Hobbit house is tucked into a hill covered with sedges and ferns, a hedgehog resting on a window sill. Phil laid all the stone snuggling in the moss. The pebble-faced planters are from Indonesia.

A foggy bog near the Hobbit house infuses more wild mystery in a profusion of colorful New Zealand flax (Phormium) and Cordyline australis. The Hobbit’s Garden pays homage to the two-acre New Zealand forest being planted in the Arboretum this summer as part of the new Pacific Connections Garden.

The Arboretum team won a gold medal for design, the Sunset Western Living Award, the Pacific Horticulture Magazine Award, and the Eastside’s 425 Magazine award for best garden.

To no one’s surprise, this magical landscape also won the hearts and votes of show visitors and the “People’s Choice” award. Co-designers included Bob Lilly, Roger Williams, and Rhonda Bush. Other partners were Seattle Parks and Recreation and the University of Washington Botanic Gardens.

Phil Wood has helped design 13 gardens over the 25 years of the Northwest Flower and Garden Show and has won numerous gold and silver medals. He designs residential gardens in the greater Seattle and Eastside area through his firm Phil Wood Garden Design (www.philwoodgardens.com). Phil has been a volunteer for the Chinese Garden for 17 years and chairs the Horticulture Committee and serves on the Board of Directors.

“The Lost Gardener” embedded themes from Jurassic Park, King Kong, and Raiders of the Lost Ark amidst extraordinary plants from around the world, including New Zealand and China. This journey from the wild to the cultivated showcases a diverse palette that symbolizes a gardener’s quest for the most unusual rare plants. The landscape transitions from a lushly vegetated forest to the iconic “Skull Island.”

A first-time entrant, Riz Reyes emerged a winner, with a gold medal for design, the Golden Palette Award, and the prestigious Founders Cup Award for best garden. “It was so amazing to win top honors,” Riz said. “This is my first display garden entry and I was so anxious about creating a garden that would meet the show’s high standards.”

From Skull Island, the garden slopes down to a highly regimented space where plants are confined and protected. The dramatic focal point— an enormous “dinosaur egg”—evokes the remnants of the ancient world. Riz is a long-time Seattle Chinese Garden volunteer and member of the horticulture committee. He is playing a major role in helping design our new peony garden, as he is a big fan of tree peonies and other plants native to China. A horticulturist and plant explorer who has done research in Sichuan province, Riz founded RHR Horticulture to provide landscape consultation, garden/container design, and maintenance services (www.rhrhorticulture.com).

Riz’s name will be inscribed on the Founder’s Trophy, along with those of the region’s most well-known garden designers and landscape firms.

The major contributors to “The Lost Gardener” are Carter Evans Wood Concepts, CEM Design, Greencliff Landscape, Lake Washington Institute of Technology, Marenakos, Moon Shadow Landscape Lighting, Orion Rockscapes, Rock Mountain Products, Terry Huang, Jade Waples, and Sawdust Supply Co. The incredible plant palette on display represented Riz's personal plant collection along with contributions from various small specialty nurseries in the Pacific northwest including Bouquet Banque, Chimacum Woods, Far Reaches Farm, Dragonfly Nursery, Desert Northwest, Cultus Bay Nursery and Earlington Greenhouses.

Written by Sandy Marvinney.

Today, garden manager Amy Converse reports on the peonies from China that survived their first winter in America.

"Just thought you'd like to know that all of the peonies have been tagged and are still alive. In fact, here are some exciting pictures...those are flower buds you see!"

Over 230 rootstock peonies were sent last fall to the Seattle Chinese Garden as a gift from Luoyang, the peony capital of China in Henan province. Surviving Seattle's grey wet winters for some of us is a challenge, but for Cang Zhi Hong (Red Flowers Hidden Among Twigs) and Xue Ta (Snow Tower) the days were especially nourishing and beneficial. Kind of like a spa retreat.

Cang Zhi Hong (Amy Converse photo)

The peonies (rootstocks of over 19 varieties) will show their first blooms and perform in their first ever show at our annual Peony Festival in May. This will surely be a star performance.

Xue Ta (Amy Converse photo)

American Peony Art and Culture Association has established the connection between the Seattle Chinese Garden and the City of the Luoyang with plans for an annual Seattle-Luoyang Peony festival (please see previous blog entry).

We walk on and off the plane as if we are going on a car ride to a summer cabin or to visit grandmother who lives a long, but endurable distance. Even at 11.5 hours, for us, getting on a plane to go to Beijing is easy. In no small part due to the shorter, direct route between our US home in Seattle and our home in Beijing. We have known longer flights with layovers and missed connections, so a direct flight is a luxury that makes our global hop something we do not take for granted. We know when heading to Beijing, an hour after landing, it is a bankable bet we will be sitting in a corner restaurant enjoying freshly made wontons or spicy beef soup with shaved noodles.

The time between trips seems to stretch longer as our busy family commitments grow, but never more than a year. It is also a stretch financially at $1000 per ticket cost. Yet, who can resist the $10 handmade noodles and hot pot dinner awaiting us. Even better is my maternal bliss seeing the happy faces of my children talking about where to go for dinner on any given evening. First up, a family favorite - the Korean barbeque restaurant in our old neighborhood around the corner from Beida. It was here they discovered the joy of family style grilling thin sliced meats and vegetables. Even in the knee-weakening August heat, this restaurant with steady AC called us in to come grill sending us out with complimentary iced milk popsicles.

Yes, food was and is what draws us back. Freshly made steamed buns, imported French cream baked treats, authentic Thai, north Chinese lamb sandwiches…so many choices. Unquestionably, the culinary family highlight is always a trip to Hai-Di Lao. The meal is as much an experience as nourishment and my children don’t mind the typical one-hour wait for a table. This restaurant is ready for the queue free snacks, drinks, playing cards and in some locations, nail painting. Personally, nail polish is not the appetizing aroma I would choose, but then again, this is Beijing. Once inside, meals often take close to 2 hours as we sit around a circle table and share in the cooking and eating of our meal.

Yes, for us food calls us back but it is the life, the people, the sense of belonging that makes the trips go easy. When going to one of the many city parks, there is an ease about strolling with friends and family. Most evenings, a stroll after dinner to unwind and ease the digestion is common. The adults keep a conversational pace while young kids run ahead to a potential ice cream truck. Older children are invited to talk with the adults about finances, education, topics of the day. The evening walk is a pleasant complement to the busy, frenetic pace of the city - an easy release of tension and invitation to share, learn, laugh.

We lived in China for just under 4 years and the soil, the air, the life of this rich culture is now part of us. For my three children and me, our family route to travel is a circle that will always include Beijing.

Written by Diane Barrett Tien.

The Seattle Chinese Garden has become a focal point for demonstrating our region's deepening friendship and growing relationship with China, bridging and cultivating our two cultures in a tangible, way. Diane Tien moved to Seattle with her children after living four years in Beijing with her husband. "I know how important it will be for me to show my sons something they share with their father," she said about visiting the Garden. The importance of building strong relationships within cultures and between new cultures has never seemed more vital in our interconnected world. From the vastness of China and its bustling Beijing to the quiet reflective garden on a hillside in West Seattle, comes this reflection.

Briefly the sun shone. I was fooled into thinking Spring was just around the corner. Within seconds, my knees were soaked as I knelt low to capture the new buds, so perfectly fresh, stunningly regal. A visit to the Seattle Chinese Garden at this time of year can fill you with impatience to see more growth, more blooms, more new buildings, more planned festivals. And yet today, with the simple parting of the clouds comes joyful anticipation and memories of wise words: "Be patient with the peony, look carefully at the bee. The spirit of a place is strongest when contemplating the most simple."

The Boeing Asian American Professional Association (BAAPA) has offered to plan the first annual Seattle Chinese Garden Kite Festival. BAAPA is a voluntary association of employees working in partnership with the Boeing Company to develop and foster a more inclusive and collaborative work and community environment: "a diverse environment that attracts, retains, values, and promotes leadership opportunities for supporting Asian Pacific employees at all levels."

Yanlin Peng, Katie Yuen, Grace Hwang, Xiuling Su, Jonathan Geiger, Maggie Chung, Rock Gilbert II, Sandy Marvinney - standing on the hill where kites will be flying.

The Boeing team of Grace Hwang, Xiuling Su, and Rock Gilbert will work together with Garden office manager Katie Yuen, SCG communications chair Sandy Marvinney, and Microsoft developer Yanlin Peng, to organize what promises to be a fun, family event this summer. Yanlin has quickly become a valuable new volunteer offering to help at garden work parties, the brick campaign, web site improvements, and now the kite festival. She and her husband moved here recently from Chongqing. The kites will fly in all their glory on August 10th from 2-6 pm.

Jon Geiger reeling in the Chongqing kites on their first test run at the Garden

Garden president Jonathan Geiger (Director, Business Operations, Supply Chain Management and Operations at Boeing Commercial Airplanes) had a relation to BAAPA via their previous presidents Carrie Shiu and Sun Min Jung. They have been strong supporters of the Garden over the years.

The current BAAPA president, Maggie Chung(Tool Engineer, 767 Wing Majors Liaison Fuselage Stress Engineer, KC-46A Tanker), asked Geiger if there were any events they could help with at the Garden. He suggested the Brick Campaign or a kite festival; they offered to help on both. "The role BAAPA plays in promoting better understanding of Asian cultures and developing more capable leaders is invaluable to Boeing and to our community," said Geiger.

The Garden is excited and pleased to have their help. Mark your calendars - the rolling hillside outside the Courtyard walls is ideal for flying kites and you won't want to miss this event.

Two children join in on the impromptu unfurling of Chongqing kites at the Garden

Kirk Chia, Jiang Yiqiao, Phil Woods, and Riz Reyes with peony roots donated from the city of Luoyang in November

In hopes of establishing an annual Seattle Luoyang Peony Festival at the Seattle Chinese Garden, the city of Luoyang is hosting a delegation from Seattle at their Peony Festival this week. Luoyang, a city in western Henan province of central China, is known as the peony capital of China. Every year, Chinese tourists flock to the city in April to celebrate the "flower of riches and honor" (富贵花). Surprisingly, outside of China the city is not very well known, despite its size (population 6.5 million) and national reputation as one of China's ancient cultural treasures.

Deputy mayor Darryl Smith with Scott Heinlein and Jim Dawson during 2011 delegation to Chongqing at the Dazu stone grottoes.

Seattle deputy mayor Darryl Smith will be joining Garden board vice president Jim Dawson, longtime benefactor Stella Chien, and Garden blogger Liz Hattemer for this week of garden diplomacy. Deputy mayor Smith's participation is important – his visit to Chongqing in 2011 was key in emphasizing trade and development in Washington and promoting tourism for Seattle. Leaders of the delegation, Washington China Center LLC owner Scott Heinlein and American Peony Art and Culture Association's Kirk Chia have been working together with Luoyang to establish an American version of Luoyang's peony festival here in Seattle. Through their efforts (see blog entry Passion for Peonies), Luoyang sent 232 tree and shrub peonies to the Garden last November. In May we will be reciprocating/hosting our first Seattle Luoyang Peony Festival with a delegation from Luoyang.

Early November 2012, delegates met with SCG Garden president Jonathan Geiger and Luoyang contact Jiang Yiqiao. From left, Jiang Yiqiao, Kirk Chia, Scott Heinlein, Liz Hattemer, and Jonathan Geiger

The Seattle delegates leave April 8th for a week of cultural, educational, and business activities hosted by the city of Luoyang. In addition to meetings and official dinners with Luoyang vice mayor Wang Jinglin and deputy mayor Darryl Smith (as well as visits to all things related to peonies), the city of Luoyang will be taking the delegates to famous Longmen Grottoes. Carved into the limestone of these caves are thousands of what is considered the finest example of Chinese Buddhist sculptures. Also on the agenda are a visit to Shaolin Temple and dinner with the Shaolin monks at the monastery, famous for Shaolin Kung Fu martial arts.

Delegate Jim Dawson shows painting from artist Jiang He. His son Jiang Yiqiao is on the right.

As blogger for the delegation, I hope to keep you posted on this exciting week which will conclude with an opportunity to meet well known and highly regarded peony artist Jiang He in Beijing.

Red banners rolled out and temple gates opened. The city of Luoyang made it very clear that this first official US delegation to their annual Peony Festival was cause for celebration. Delegates from the Seattle Chinese Garden (SCG) and the American Peony Art and Culture Association (APACA), led by Seattle deputy mayor Darryl Smith, were greeted with warmth and enthusiasm at every event this week. Whether it was a cultural or trade event, Smith was prominently welcomed by the most important officials, surrounded by crowds of curious onlookers.

White Horse Temple headmaster monk opens "special" gates for the delegation

Tea with headmaster: from left, translator Amy Wang, Darryl Smith, artist Mr. Gu, Yiqiao Jiang, Fu Kewei, and Kirk Chia

Seattle delegates Jim Dawson and Yiqiao Jiang, Christine and Omar Lee from Great Wall Development Inc., Darryl Smith, and APACA directors Kirk Chia and Scott Heinlein at the Luoyang City Government reception

The purpose of the trip was to establish a Seattle Luoyang Peony Festival and open channels for Seattle economic development and trade. The delegation was on a "fact-finding" mission for the festival which will be held here at the Garden each May - the first just one month away on May 18 and 19.

Luoyang's cooperation with the Seattle Chinese Garden will help develop the "Luoyang Peony" brand in North America. The peony flower is a national symbol of China and Luoyang is considered the "Peony Capital." During the opening ceremony of the trade conference, Smith had an opportunity to personally thank Luoyang mayor Li Liushen for his leadership in securing his city's donation of 235 peony shoots to the Garden, the first step towards establishing a vibrant Seattle Luoyang Peony Festival. APACA directors Scott Heinlein and Kirk Chia who organized the delegation, also arranged for business and trade meetings to further demonstrate our desire to build meaningful relationships between our two cities.

Deputy mayor Darryl Smith with Luoyang Bureau of Commerce Director Tsang Danmei

At the Luoyang hotel, delegates Jim Dawson, Fu Kewei (Beijing APACA director), Darryl Smith, Liz Hattemer, Stella Chien, Scott Heinlein

Vice Mayor Wang Jinglin and Deputy Mayor Darryl Smith sign a memorandum of understanding between the city of Luoyang and the city of Seattle as a result of meetings held in Luoyang, China April 10th through April 12th 2013

Based on conversations during the inaugural visit to China's peony capital, it was determined that there was sufficient mutual interest on the part of the City of Seattle and the City of Luoyang to establish an agreement in support of a proposed "Seattle Luoyang Peony Festival." Of course, our fledgling peony festival to be held next month will be at a fraction of the scale seen at Luoyang's 31-year-old annual national extravaganza. But the inaugural delegation, led by Seattle's deputy mayor Darryl Smith and received in Luoyang by vice mayor Wang Jinglin, determined that there was sufficient mutual interest and serious acknowledgement that establishing strong relationships for this festival will also open channels for economic trade and development between our two cities.

Jim Dawson photo

So after a successful week of peony exploration and discovery in Luoyang (洛阳), the Seattle Chinese Garden is eager to host the first Seattle Luoyang Peony Festival on the weekend of May 18. The importance of Seattle's nascent festival should not be underrated. Peonies are perennial favorites in the flower garden. Few herbaceous plants can rival them for floral display and foliage. Their exquisite, large blossoms make excellent cut flowers and the deep green foliage provides a beautiful background. What was also apparent to the Seattle delegates while in Luoyang, was that the peony has an intoxicating fragrance driving the most staid of visitors to giddy heights. Deputy mayor Darryl Smith found himself surrounded by peony patriarchs and peony princesses wherever he went.

Deputy Mayor Darryl Smith (right) with "32Gig" the nickname I gave to professional photographer assigned to our delegation. (Jim Dawson photo)

The peony flowering usually lasts one to two weeks in late spring to early summer. However, by selecting and planting mid and late-season bloomers, flowering can be extended for six weeks. The festival in Luoyang attracts thousands of visitors daily to their city starting the first week of April lasting until mid May.

Luoyang "peony princess" at the White Horse temple

Seattle-Luoyang Peony Festival and Seattle Bamboo Festival at Seattle Chinese Garden

Saturday–Sunday, May 18–19, 10 am to 4 pm

The Garden presents a double festival focused on two prized plants in Chinese horticulture. Come celebrate the first blossoms on the tree peony plants donated by the city of Luoyang, China’s “peony capital.” The festivals feature plant displays, bamboo sales, educational displays, talks, and demonstrations, plus arts and craft items and more. Co-sponsored with the Northwest Chapter of the American Bamboo Society and the American Peony Arts and Culture Association.

Chaliese Poset from Seattle captures restorative energy in the Garden

On a beautiful Spring day in Seattle, where do you go to capture the intoxicating rays and energize your spirit? Where do you soak up as much vitamin D as your skin can handle after a winter wash of rain and fog? The secluded five-acre site on the top of Delridge in West Seattle is a heady alternative to the usual tourist sites in Seattle, most assuredly because of its blissfully secluded feel. If you sit by Song Mei Ting with the fish pond gurgling gently in your left ear, the planes soaring overhead become the counterbalance - opening channels to far-reaching countries, engaging the energy of China brought near.

Restita de Jesus in the Courtyard

Capture some of that energy and celebrate World Tai Chi and Qijong Day at Knowing the Spring Courtyard this Saturday, April 27, where martial arts master Restita de Jesus of Seattle Wushu Center will open the Spring season at the Garden with a tai chi practice in the Courtyard from 10 to 11:30 am.

Restita de Jesus with her class in the Courtyard in August 2011

Tai chi and qijong have evolved over several thousand years of practice and research in China to become a popular, worldwide healthy gentle exercise - meditation in motion - used to reduce stress and anxiety, depression and chronic pain. People in over 70 nations will celebrate World Tai Chi and Qijong Day. The energy begins circling the globe starting 10 am in New Zealand moving east through the time zones and ending almost 24 hours later in Hawaii.

Aficionados believe the practice of tai chi and qijong boosts the immune system, improves respiratory function, burns calories, lowers blood pressure and slows the aging process.

Even if you don't participate in tai chi, celebrating with a picnic in the Garden might very well gain you similar benefits.

The heart of the Garden can be found in stone. Inscribed with the unique calligraphy of the late John Chien and digitized by his granddaughter, the newly installed large stone welcomes visitors with stately grace. John Chien worked tirelessly to grow the Seattle Chinese Garden and his wife Stella continues the legacy today, anchoring the path of Chinese plum trees (mei hua) that lead to the Courtyard with this symbol of strength and love. "Welcome Garden" invites the visitor to enter the Garden and honor the Chinese culture represented in the walls and acres beyond.

Several other prominent Garden supporters and donors showed up during the stone's installation. MulvannyG2 chairman Jerry Lee, Snoqualmie Casino director Eric Booker and General Biodiesel CEO Yale Wong toured the Garden with board members Jim Dawson and Margaret Britton. They reviewed plans for the next phase of construction, specifically the construction of Knowing the Spring forecourt, the Tea House, and the Lotus Pond. Stella joined the discussion in the Chan Education building.

From left, Jerry Lee, Jim Dawson, Eric Booker, Yale Wong, and Margaret Britton in front of the Courtyard

Jim Dawson shows Eric Booker and Jerry Lee the plans.

Jerry Lee gives Garden president Jon Geiger tips on how to properly install the stone, "make sure you set it on gravel, Jon!" (The AIA architect refining the Boeing engineer...)

Stella Chien, Yale Wong, Eric Booker, and Jim Dawson listen as Jerry Lee directs the stone into the right spot.

And the stone, finally resting at the entrance to the Garden, sits strong and stately.

Stella Chien, Jim Dawson, Jon Geiger, garden manager Amy Converse, Margaret Britton, and Microsoft volunteer Yanlin Peng

At the Seattle-Luoyang seminar on cultural and economic trade and investment in Luoyang, China, deputy mayor Darryl Smith conveyed Seattle's interest in cooperation and trade during a meeting with the vice mayor, Wang Jinglin (video above). "Our delegation is here to learn from you and build the bonds of friendship. It is our intention and expectation that this May we will inaugurate the first Seattle-Luoyang Peony festival at the Seattle Chinese Garden," said Smith.

Seattle-Luoyang Peony Festival and Seattle Bamboo Festival

Saturday - Sunday, May 18-19, 10 am to 4 pm

at the Seattle Chinese Garden

Come celebrate the first blossoms on the tree peony plants donated by the city of Luoyang, China's "peony capital." The festival will feature plant displays, bamboo sales, demonstrations, art and crafts.

Co-sponsored with the Northwest Chapter of the American Bamboo Society and the American Peony Arts and Culture Association.

Darryl Smith being presented with peony scroll after visiting the Shenzhou Peony Garden

The Seattle delegation that went to Luoyang at the beginning of April was vetted at every event, whether it was meeting with the White Horse Temple monks, fact-finding with the many peony artists who demonstrated their talents, or meeting with government officials from Luoyang's commerce department. The Luoyang hosts shared their love of poetry and calligraphy, history and literature - both Seattle and Luoyang are "garden" cities with a high appreciation for arts and culture.

The artist who has no arms, painted a beautiful scroll with her feet for Darryl Smith

From left, American Peony Arts and Culture Association (APACA) Scott Heinlein, Darryl Smith, Luoyang Bureau of Commerce vice director Nui Si, and APACA Yiqiao Jiang with headmaster monk from White Horse Temple

From left, Chinese Radio Seattle host Lilian Liu with volunteers Yanlin Peng and Xiuling Su

The newly established Chinese Radio Seattle, the first totally Mandarin radio program to broadcast in Washington state, hosted two of our newest volunteers in a show to help promote the upcoming Peony and Bamboo Festival this weekend (May 18 and 19) at the Seattle Chinese Garden. Yanlin Peng and Xiuling Su introduced their listeners to the history and the vision of the Garden and its relationship to our sister city Chongqing. They also talked about the newly developing relationship the city of Seattle is forging with the city of Luoyang.

Chinese Radio Seattle

Yanlin and Xiuling met while volunteering at the Garden on a committee for the August kite festival. Yanlin is a developer with Microsoft and moved here with her husband from our sister city Chongqing. Xiuling works for Boeing and is a member of the Boeing Asian American Professional Association (BAAPA) which has offered to plan the first annual Seattle Chinese Garden kite festival in August. The two have quickly become a valuable source of energy and enthusiasm for the Garden.

Seattle Chinese Radio was established in May 2012. They broadcast every weekday from 9 pm to 12 pm on 1150 AM. The owner of the program, Xiaoyuan, invited Yanlin and Xiuling to be on his station to discuss the impact of the Chinese Garden on the Seattle community and to promote upcoming events.
To listen to the audio of the program (entirely in Mandarin), please click here. Many Chinese performing groups are scheduled to play for the station during their anniversary month in June of this year.

Tune in to 1150 AM 声声有情 from 9 pm to 12 pm for Mandarin Chinese Radio

Peonies sent to Seattle from Luoyang for the Festival (Jim Dawson photo)

The Garden's first ever Seattle-Luoyang Peony Festival held court last weekend with a small but dedicated crowd, curious and open to the new-found friendship between our two cities. Over 600 people attended the weekend events, which included the celebration of bamboo and peony trees with demonstrations, cultural talks, Chinese brush and ink painting, and gardening tips for the successful growing and pruning of both bamboo and peony.

Artist Jiang Yiqiao with West Seattle garden supporters Rose and John Bechtold holding the painting they purchased

Skilled peony artist Mr. Jiang Yiqiao demonstrated his art on both afternoons, painting well into the afternoon for the many fascinated visitors. Jiang Yiqiao owns a glass tempering factory in Luoyang, but he is really most passionate about his native city's peonies, a passion nurtured by his father Jiang He, a well known highly regarded Chinese painter considered to be the #1 peony painter in China.

Stella Chien gave a talk on the tree peony in Chinese culture, exploring the cultural roots spanning over 2000 years in poetry and arts. She brought items from her childhood in Beijing - small vases, brushes, scrolls - all inscribed with the image of the peony.

Two of our peony princes, Riz Reyes and Phil Wood

Riz Reyes who owns RHR Horticulture/Landwave Gardens, discussed the types of peonies that grow best in our Northwest region, giving tips for success on growing peonies. Horticultural chair Phil Wood, who helped organize the event, models a scarf from the collection imported from Luoyang.

Artist Jiang Yiqiao and APACA director Scott Heinlein pose with models from Sunday's visit

Volunteers Chris Magat and Jacklynn Morrow arrange peonies for sale

Volunteer Yanlin Peng from Microsoft (in red sweater) spent the day translating for Mr. Jiang while he painted for the crowds.

James Clever with bamboo root balls

James Clever, president of the American Bamboo Society Northwest Chapter and owner of Bamboo Gardens in Ballard gave a talk on types of bamboo, tips on installation and containment - one of the larger issues surrounding bamboo.

Longtime volunteer Janice Hendrickson manned the information table

So many dedicated volunteers gave full efforts to our first Seattle-Luoyang Peony festival. Special thanks go to our Garden office manager Katie Yuen who helped with all the logistics and volunteer recruitment. Katie has such a strong following and managed an amazing work load over the last several weeks. Her sister, Ada Yuen, pulled a full day helping out. Amy Converse, our garden manager worked tirelessly getting the garden in shape for the weekend. And Kwan Li was invaluable working with Mr. Jiang in the artist's studio set up in the Chan Center.

Deborah Prince at the information table on Sunday

"A huge thanks to Scott Heinlein and Kirk Chia and Mr. Jiang from the American Peony Arts and Cultural Association who made the connections here and in China to establish the first annual Seattle/Luoyang Peony festival and to bringing thousands of peony stems and beautiful art to our garden and create a huge buzz…. If it were not for the Peony outreach I don’t expect we would have had such a huge success," remarked Garden president Jon Geiger.

Ena Wang playing the guzheng in Knowing the Spring Courtyard for the Seattle-Luoyang Peony Festival
(Sandy Marvinney photo)

Last weekend during the Peony Festival at the Seattle Chinese Garden, we had the pleasure of hearing traditional Chinese music. Ena Wang played a beautiful guzheng concert in Knowing the Spring Courtyard. It was through Ena that we contacted her guzheng teacher and master, Shirley Wang.

Shirley Wang in Praise of Spring 2013

Shirley was born in Inner Mongolia. At six years old she started playing the guzheng. At that time in China it was fashionable for children to study western music on the violin or piano, but she wanted to study something traditional and unique. Her father took her to a very famous teacher of guzheng (zither) and yanqin (hammered dulcimer) and let her try each one. She was happy with her choice of the guzheng because she really liked Chinese traditional music. Her family moved to Beijing when she was 10 and she continued her guzheng studies with the famous Guzheng master Wang Zhou and finished her college and graduate study in the China Conservatory of Music. She started teaching music at the British School of Beijing in 2007. In honor of representing the school in 2009, Shirley gave a Guzheng performance for the British royal family and Prince Andrew. Several years later in Beijing she met a Chinese American man from Seattle—a cousin of one of her students. Shirley came to the US in 2010 as his fiancée, and in 2011 they had two weddings: one in Hohhot and one in Seattle.

The guzheng has a 2,000 year old history. It is the most popular Chinese instrument studied and the easiest to begin learning. Guzheng music is very peaceful and you can play beautiful music just by plucking and strumming the strings even if you don’t know how to play! The erhu and gong are featured in Chinese opera, but the guzheng is designed to be played solo. Now people are playing guzheng in orchestras and playing western music along with guitar and piano. Modern guzheng student Ena Wang is working on an arrangement for Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep.”

Shirley Wang teaches guzheng in her studio in Issaquah and performs often in the Seattle area. We hope we can convince her to have a recital in Knowing the Spring Courtyard this summer. Check out her website. Yes, the Titanic theme song with guitar, piano, and guzheng, was written, recorded, and edited by Shirley. Maybe her baby daughter Kayla will become a guzheng master!

Written by Margaret Britton, Seattle Chinese Garden board member responsible for organizing the beautiful reception for the Seattle Luoyang Peony Festival. Margaret interviewed Shirley Wang for this story.

The 9^th China International Garden Expo officially opened last month in Beijing. Started in 1997, and held 8 times in 8 different cities across China, the Expo exhibits a total of 128 gardens, including 47 gardens created by 69 Chinese cities and 32 gardens created by cities and institutions from 25 countries.

Wang Jin and Jim Dawson in front of the covered walkway at the Beijing Garden Expo

This year, the Chongqing Parks Bureau built a showcase garden at the Expo inspired by their design of our garden in Seattle. The pictures will give you a clear view of some of the future projects we are planning to add to Knowing the Spring Courtyard.

View from the raised walkway to the Courtyard in Beijing Garden Expo

On a stopover in Beijing after delegates visited Luoyang in April, SCG vice president Jim Dawson led the delegation on a special visit with Chongqing project manager Wang Jin during the final stages of Expo construction. As in Seattle, the Chongqing Expo Park makes use of traditional Chinese landscape theory and technique, highlighting the mountain landscape features of Chongqing and incorporating landscape, buildings, trees, stone and courtyards, thus bearing the style and local characteristic of Bashu natural scenery. The experience of seeing our Garden replicated in Beijing was like walking into the future of SCG. Although, it was astonishing that Beijing was able to complete their project in a fraction of the time...

Entrance into a small courtyard. Notice the contemporary design of the leak windows, different than SCG's traditional design.

"Traditional Taihu rocks – picturesque garden stones that symbolise the themes of simplicity and spirituality – provide inspiration in the main pavilion at the Garden Expo. As a natural element and irreplaceable component in garden art, the rock is considered an ideal representation for the beauty of garden culture. And within the understated appearance of Taihu rocks, there lies an intimate relationship with the local geographical character and a more profound influence from the philosophical theories in the traditional Chinese culture,” explained Wang Jin.

According to Wang Jin, all materials used in the construction process were eco-friendly, such as formaldehyde-free paint and the use of rainfall pipes. One prominent feature in the Beijing concept garden is a covered walkway similar to the projected plan for one that will lead down to the lake at the north end of our site in West Seattle.

Small pavilion replicating Song Mei Ting at Seattle Chinese Garden

In a report from CCTV about the opening, video footage features the Seattle Chinese Garden design concept in Beijing. Watch the video if you want to see what we are building here in Seattle.

Jim Dawson, Stella Chien, and Liz Hattemer in front of the main gate in Beijing.

Grace Peer kept working while we talked. She was soaking newspapers in buckets of water and placing them on dry beds and then piling huge mounds of mulch on top. "Some people use cardboard," she explained, "but the crows love to eat the cardboard and that destroys all our hard work...we learned that in the Welcome Garden." Never knew crows preferred chomping cardboard over chewing on the news.

Grace Peer from TIPS

Grace, a junior at Holy Names Academy in Seattle, is an intern from Teens in Public Service (TIPS). TIPS employs teenagers in community service during the summer to work in non-profit organizations across the Puget Sound area. The Seattle Chinese Garden was extremely grateful to have Grace working for garden manager Amy Converse. "She has been working 20 hours a week and has been a wonderful asset to the Garden. There is no way it would look as good as it does without her and our other volunteer," said Amy. While we have all been enjoying these idyllic days of summer, Grace and volunteer Kay Dien Fox have been mulching and weeding and raking and planting - the back-breaking work of gardening that intensifies in the heat of our unusually hot summer.

The peach tree is flourishing

A window to the Courtyard from Song Mei Ting

Photographer Aurora Santiago capturing Anenomes in the Garden

Please check out the most amazing photographs from Aurora Santiago on her Flickr website. She is currently taking Ray Pfortner's photography workshop which finishes up this week.

What better way to celebrate summer than to fly a kite, and how fitting that the kite festival at the Seattle Chinese Garden was hosted by Boeing volunteers, experts in building flying aircraft.

The Melody Institute girls dancing "Little Yellow Ribbon"

(Aurora Santiago photo)

Boeing Asian American Employees Association (BAAPA) and Microsoft Chinese Employees Association (CHIME) hosted our first annual Kite Festival at the Seattle Chinese Garden Saturday, August 10. The festival included a full afternoon of cultural entertainment and activities.

Owls and Angry Birds and Popsicles

Flying a kite, watching it drift across the deep blue sky is such a joyful, exhilarating exercise. Children and adults raised their kites to the skies, enthralling onlookers with their energy and glee.

Fashion models from the Everlasting Yong Group with male models Jon Geiger and Jim Dawson

The festival included a fashion show by the Everlasting Yong Group and singing and dancing by the Seattle Chinese Arts Group, the Singing & Dancing Happy Group and the Huayin Performing Arts Group. Chinese painting demonstrations were given by artist Jiang Yiqiao of Luoyang. The Melody Institute girls performed over 10 dances, swirling and dancing with colorful ribbons and scarfs. One particular dance, the Happy Birthday with red long-tailed fans was in honor of BAAPA Mentoring Committee Chair Xiuling Su who organized the event and celebrated her birthday that day.

Lauren and Joy from the Huayin Performing Arts Group playing "When the Gold Wind Blows" with Chinese flutes

Most assuredly the youngest kite flyer on the ridge

Relaxing in front of the mountain, watching the entertainment

The Singing and Dancing Happy Group

BAAPA and CHIME volunteers

Finding a cool spot beneath a tree in the Courtyard

BAAPA mentoring committee chair Xiuling Su (Hannah) with SCG President Jon Geiger

"Spring Morning with Flowers"

Janice and David Hendrickson may have lost their way in the hinterlands of Woodinville where SCG President Jon Geiger and his wife Heidi were hosting the annual thank you party for volunteers, but their eventual arrival was greeted with joy and relief. Janice is one of the longest and hardest working volunteers for the Garden, putting in long hours welcoming people to the Visitor Center as well as wielding shovels and buckets in the Garden. David has also helped on many of the construction projects, he is a great carpenter and volunteer.

Over 30 guests enjoyed the picnic supper at the Geiger's home. Heidi and Jon Geiger hosted a fun, relaxed and delightful evening which included a "hike" through their woods and several games of ping pong and horseshoes. Although Rick Vadnais wanted to exploit his prowess in the game of horseshoes, regaling us all with his one winning toss (documented above), the true ringer was his new bride of just one week, Sinke.

Volunteer Jenny Guan and her husband James (couple on the right) gladly set some of Rick's stories straight. Jenny has helped the Garden over the years with translating and Garden events. Rick and Kurt Demontigny (camera shy!) have consistently volunteered whenever the Garden needs heavy equipment - all have worked together at Boeing for many years.

Zhufeng Webster and office manager Katie Yuen who have both put in countless hours at the Garden, volunteering in a myriad of ways, relaxed in the back yard.

Jon Geiger with (clockwise from the flowers) Teens in Public Service (TIPS) volunteer Grace Peer, garden manager Amy Converse with husband Alex, board member Sandy Marvinney, and volunteer Carson Tavenner. Grace was our youngest volunteer through the TIPS program and is headed back to school for her junior year. Amy Converse presented Grace with a thank you gift for her hard labor this summer. Amy will be leaving the Garden at the end of August to get ready for the birth of twins, due in November.

Former garden program director Julia Freimund, who now volunteers at garden events with board members Margaret Britton (left) and Phil Wood (right).

Volunteer Kirk Chia keeps a keen eye on the voting of Jiang Yiqiao's calligraphy style, making sure guests follow the "3 chip only" rule that some like myself tried to manipulate...Heidi Geiger's floral arrangements were beautiful - every table in the house had a magnificent display.

Volunteer Melanie Blommel (in red) with her husband Dave (left) try to regain their horseshoe champion title, but to no avail. Melanie worked in the office for many years and now volunteers during events. "So many of our volunteers stick around despite changes in careers and moves. The Garden is incredibly grateful for their loyalty and staying power through the ups and downs of this ambitious project. Volunteers are the heart of the Seattle Chinese Garden, without them we wouldn't thrive," said Jon Geiger.

Rock Gilbert II and Maggie Chung who helped organize the highly successful and fun BAAPA and CHIME Kite Festival this August were also recently married. Congratulations! They are shown below talking with Laurie Clemson who did a fantastic job helping Heidi with the evening dinner.

Artist and volunteer Jiang Yiqiao presents Jon Geiger with a peony painting for his home - demonstrating that despite their height difference, communication is never a problem. And garden blogger Liz Hattemer demonstrates her lack of horseshoe skills - no ringers, no leaners, not even a landing in the sand...

I was unable to get a decent shot of docent Dewey Webster and our fair hostess Heidi Geiger (shown below at a fall Garden event). Dewey had to leave early for a moonlight photo shoot with Ray Pfortner's photography workshop at the Garden and Heidi was too busy hostessing the wonderful dinner, but kudos to a delightful evening and thanks again to all our volunteers.

This summer, the Garden celebrated the culture of China with a variety of activities - many of them centered around martial arts. In late August, Dr. Lu Mei Hui and Master Chang Wu Na from the Wudang Internal Martial Arts Academy charmed visitors with a spectacular display worthy of a summer outing. Dr. Lu and Master Chang brought their class to perform several martial arts demonstrations in the theatrical setting of Knowing the Spring Courtyard.

Visitors enjoyed the spirited movement choreographed to music with a backdrop of blue sunny skies and the clean lines of the courtyard walls.

Two students from Wudang Internal Martial Arts performing a fan dance

In July, Restita DeJesus of the Seattle Wushu Center held a tai chi class in the Courtyard. The calm patience of Restita's style is highly regarded and her skills as an instructor have gained her a great following and the respect and admiration of her students. She has been conducting classes in the Garden since we first opened our gates.

Restita DeJesus (third from left) with her tai chi students

Volunteers Work the Welcome Garden

Golden Guys at the Garden Show: Phil Wood and Riz Reyes

Red Flowers Hidden Among Twigs

The Red Rubber Band

Bees and Buds - Spring Window at Xi Hua Yuan

Boeing BAAPA Plans Seattle Chinese Garden Kite Festival for August

Garden Sends Delegation to Luoyang 洛阳 with Seattle Deputy Mayor Darryl Smith

Delegation Led by Deputy Mayor Smith Receives Enthusiastic Welcome in Luoyang

Luoyang 洛阳 Works with Seattle to Establish Local Annual Peony Festival

Seattle-Luoyang Peony Festival and Seattle Bamboo Festival at Seattle Chinese Garden

Saturday–Sunday, May 18–19, 10 am to 4 pm

West Seattle Hidden Gem Perfect Place to Picnic and Celebrate World Tai Chi April 27

Cornerstone Installed in Welcome Garden

Deputy Mayor Smith Promotes Seattle and Garden in Luoyang, China

Seattle-Luoyang Peony Festival and Seattle Bamboo Festival

Saturday - Sunday, May 18-19, 10 am to 4 pm

at the Seattle Chinese Garden

Come celebrate the first blossoms on the tree peony plants donated by the city of Luoyang, China's "peony capital." The festival will feature plant displays, bamboo sales, demonstrations, art and crafts.

Co-sponsored with the Northwest Chapter of the American Bamboo Society and the American Peony Arts and Culture Association.

New Chinese Radio Seattle (西雅图中文电台) Hosts Garden Volunteers

Seattle-Luoyang Peony Festival - Princes and Princesses Abound

Plucking the Strings of your Heart

Seattle Chinese Garden Replicated in Beijing

Great Garden TIPS

Boeing Kite Festival High-Flying Success

SCG Board Members Thank Volunteers With a Party

Summer's Bounty