The Brisbane Botanic Gardens at Mt. Coot-tha are 56-hectares of lush woodland, ponds and examples of the flora of Queensland and from around the world. Not far from the entrance, in a pleasant little hollow, is an unexpected surprise: a small Japanese garden.

Like many Japanese gardens, once visitors step through the gate the central focal point is the pond, with paths for visitors to stroll as they circumnavigate it.

The “back” of the garden slopes upward (part of the “mountain” aspect of the design), allowing for a gurgling little waterfall to feed the pond. Stepping stones allow visitors to cross the stream on their perambulation.

Stone lanterns abound, adding to the overall ambience. There are plenty of places to sit and relax while taking in the various views of the garden, too.

Unlike many Japanese gardens, which are designed so that different plants bloom in the different seasons, it seems that everything is blooming at once: azaleas, camellias, lotus, even cherry blossoms. Likely this is a testament to the mild climate of the region. (To be fair, there were clearly some plants, like crepe myrtle, that won’t be blooming until the summer season.)

Okay, the cherry blossoms are also a seasonal flower, and this season’s blossoms are just finishing. Yes, that’s right, cherry blossoms in July! Outside of Hokkaido (maybe not even in Hokkaido), this is one of the few places in the world where there are cherry blossoms in July.

These are not the pale pink Yoshino blossoms that blanket Japan in Spring, but a darker pink blossom known as the Millennium Cherry, a hybrid of Wild Cherry and Formosan Cherry. I’ve also heard it referred to as “Barbie Pink”. Yet, the blossoms’ appearance is just as fleeting and evocative.

This Japanese garden was originally built in central Brisbane inside the Japan pavilion of the 1988 World Expo. When the Expo was finished, the Japanese garden was moved to Mt. Coot-tha as a gift to the City of Brisbane. Brisbane and the State of Queensland have a number of deep ties to Japan, including a sister city relationship between Brisbane and Kobe and a sister state relationship between Queensland and Saitama Prefecture.

In the grand scheme of a 56-hectare site–and even compared to many traditional Japanese gardens–, this garden is tiny. But it still has the ability to transport visitors, at least mentally, to the Land of the Rising Sun.

Adding to the overall atmosphere of the Japanese garden inside the botanical garden is the location of a “Bonsai House” on the hillside above the Japanese garden and a stunning bamboo grove near the garden’s entrance.

Bonsai are always enchanting, but one thing that makes these bonsai extra special is that many of them are Australian native plants. In keeping with the relative youth of Australia as a nation, while bonsai in Japan are often centuries old, the oldest plant in this collection dates to 1941. The bonsai may be young, but they are captivating, nonetheless.

For residents of or visitors to southeast Queensland, this is a great little “escape to the Orient”.

The Brisbane Botanic Gardens at Mt. Coot-tha are open daily from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm and admission is free. Bonsai House has more limited hours; open 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.

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