San Antonio Japanese Tea Garden

One of the most delightful sites I saw in San Antonio this week was the Japanese Tea Garden ... The gardens were the genius of a parks commissioner in 1915 as the San Antonio Zoological gardens were established near by.  The scar of a littered former stone quarry site marred the landscape.  Other such sites had been made Into Japanese stye gardens, and the commissioner's desire was that this scar could be healed in like manner.

There was no money in the budget for its development, so prisoner labor was used along with rock shards found on site.  When the gardens were done, it was recognized that they lacked ethnic integrity and a Japanese artist and his family were hired to live at the gardens, and further develop them,  while making Japanese Cuisine available to visitors.

Above is a vintage post card of the gardens .... Which was sometimes called the Sunken Gardens, and during and after WWII was called the Chinese Gardens. 

The gardens are beautiful, even in March ... I am looking forward to seeing them again in June when Mr. P and I drive to Texas for our first First Monday Flea Market in Canton ....

The stone elements are just charming ...

.... And the ponds are full of huge Koi....

It's amazing, and its free to the public .... The Chinese Tea House has seating on the stone patio above the gardens .... What a luxurious experience. 

... And there a small walks around the edges of the gardens ....

I am sure that as I visit my daughter and her family in San Antonio I will have many more opportunities to visit this garden treasure! Such a lovely thought.