The 9th 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.
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| 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.
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| 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...
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| 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.
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| Small pavilion replicating Song Mei Ting at Seattle Chinese Garden |
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| Jim Dawson, Stella Chien, and Liz Hattemer in front of the main gate in Beijing. |