The Fort Worth Japanese Garden was once a gravel pit and a cavalry unit dump filled with old plumbing and stable contents. When the architect behind the original and ongoing construction of the gardens, Al Komatsu, was first brought on to this project, he found a "tremendous ecological disaster" before him. But on its 40th anniversary, the people behind the project stand proud-it is one of the top Japanese gardens in the country attracting visitors from all over the world.
Building the Japanese Garden was a process. It started when the land was secured in 1963-a couple of LSU graduate students presented proposals along with landscaping architects. Kingsley Wu, a professor of environmental living at Texas Women's University, prepared the final plans. Finally in 1968, the "remains of two wars and the cavalry unit were moved" from what is now the Japanese Garden. Former City Parks Director Charles Campbell and former Garden Director Scott Fikes brought in Komatsu to help bring the plans to fruition. Komatsu said he was immediately drawn to this plot of land because of the unique topography.
The garden officially opened in the spring of 1973 but fell into disrepair within a few years. It became a jungle of old hackberry trees and undergrowth that crawled up into the canopies.
In 1983, Scott Brooks, now lead gardener, walked in and saw marvelous potential. Like Komatsu, he found the varying elevations and arrangement of the natural features within the garden intriguing. Once the old hackberries started to die and fall down, the canopy opened up, allowing sunlight into the garden. Brooks has been reshaping and nurturing the plants beneath the forest canopy for 30 years.
The 40 years of vision, time, community interest and persistence has paid off. No longer a gravel pit, many find refuge from the fast life roaring outside the garden gates. The quarreling squirrels and world travelers amuse ticket taker Margie Madrid. A security guard finds food for the Koi fish while on break, stomps his feet to get their attention, and joyfully tosses the food into the water, watching the fish splash with child-like wonder. Fort Worth Botanic Garden Director Henry Painter steps out of his office to inspect and admire the beauty, serenity and history.
Komatsu even walks the winding pathways weekly, proud that this place has become a major attraction for the community and a cultural vehicle.
"Nothing is static. It is an ever-changing scenery," Komatsu said.
