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| Cherry Plum Blossom (梅 花) And Colorful Fish (錦鯉) in Chinese Scholar’s Garden in Staten Island, New York |
1. Cherry Plum Blossom and The Garden
Cherry Plum Blossom (梅 花) ( Prunus (genus name) mume (species name) ) is the Chinese national flower. One of
the cherished virtues of cherry plum blossom is that it is one of the earliest flower trees to bloom in very early
spring season when the weather is usually still very cold or even snowing. Chinese songs and poems often
associate cherry plum blossom with snow and cold weather ( 踏 雪 尋 梅, 梅 花 傲 霜 鬥 雪, 冠 領 群 芳).
Photos of cherry plum blossom blooming in the snow in New Jersey can be seen at the following web page:
http://www.aaapoe.net/usa004-007.html
The New York Chinese Scholar’s Garden ( 寄 興 園 ) in the Staten Island Botanic Garden in Staten Island, New
York is a Chinese SuZhou (江南 蘇 州 ) style garden with many cherry plum blossom trees and bamboos. It
was designed by a Chinese company (苏州园林设计院) in SuZhou, China.
http://www.szlad.com/
All the construction material were imported and shipped from SuZhou. A special team of artists and artisans
from SuZhou, China came to Staten Island and spent several months to build this authentic SuZhou style
garden. It is very impressive, especially when all the cherry plum blossom trees are blooming.
Those cherry plum blossom trees were in full bloom in the week of March 25, 2006. Twenty-eight members of
the 40-Plus Club in New Jersey visited the Chinese Scholar’s Garden in the afternoon of Saturday March 25,
2006 to enjoy watching the cherry plum blossom in full bloom as shown in the following sample pictures.
Cherry Plum Blossom (梅 花) ( Prunus (genus name) mume (species name) ) is the Chinese national flower. One of
the cherished virtues of cherry plum blossom is that it is one of the earliest flower trees to bloom in very early
spring season when the weather is usually still very cold or even snowing. Chinese songs and poems often
associate cherry plum blossom with snow and cold weather ( 踏 雪 尋 梅, 梅 花 傲 霜 鬥 雪, 冠 領 群 芳).
Photos of cherry plum blossom blooming in the snow in New Jersey can be seen at the following web page:
http://www.aaapoe.net/usa004-007.html
The New York Chinese Scholar’s Garden ( 寄 興 園 ) in the Staten Island Botanic Garden in Staten Island, New
York is a Chinese SuZhou (江南 蘇 州 ) style garden with many cherry plum blossom trees and bamboos. It
was designed by a Chinese company (苏州园林设计院) in SuZhou, China.
http://www.szlad.com/
All the construction material were imported and shipped from SuZhou. A special team of artists and artisans
from SuZhou, China came to Staten Island and spent several months to build this authentic SuZhou style
garden. It is very impressive, especially when all the cherry plum blossom trees are blooming.
Those cherry plum blossom trees were in full bloom in the week of March 25, 2006. Twenty-eight members of
the 40-Plus Club in New Jersey visited the Chinese Scholar’s Garden in the afternoon of Saturday March 25,
2006 to enjoy watching the cherry plum blossom in full bloom as shown in the following sample pictures.
This is my first experience to see so many cherry plum blossom trees in full bloom.
Members of 40-Plus Club touring and enjoying the garden
The pleasant greens of bamboo offers a placid, soothing feeling.
Courtyard in the garden with a fishpond, garden rocks and a circular door
Many colorful fish (錦鯉) swimming leisurely in the fishpond in the courtyard of the garden.
Such relaxing and soothing view of fish often appears in Chinese artistic paintings and poems. Probably some
artists and poets derived their inspirations while enjoying watching such fish swimming in the water.
Such relaxing and soothing view of fish often appears in Chinese artistic paintings and poems. Probably some
artists and poets derived their inspirations while enjoying watching such fish swimming in the water.
2. Location Information
The Staten Island Botanic Garden is at the corner of Richmond Terrace and Snug Harbor Road in Staten
Island, New York. It is near the north shore of Staten Island and is about 2 miles west of the Staten Island
Ferry Terminal. The main entrance gate is on the Snug Harbor Road. Visitors can drive their cars through the
main entrance gate to park their cars in one of several parking lots inside the garden.
More information on Staten Island Botanic Garden (SIBG) including the New York Chinese Scholar’s Garden is
available at the following website:
http://sibg.org/
3. Acknowledgement
We thank May Lee for recommending the Chinese Scholar’s Garden during the blooming season of cherry
plum blossom for the 2006 first spring outing for the 40-Plus Club and thank Elmer Hsu for recommending the
Crown Palace Restaurant in Staten Island for the dinner. Twenty-eight members of the 40-Plus Club enjoyed
very much this tour of the Chinese Scholar’s Garden and the dinner.
The Staten Island Botanic Garden is at the corner of Richmond Terrace and Snug Harbor Road in Staten
Island, New York. It is near the north shore of Staten Island and is about 2 miles west of the Staten Island
Ferry Terminal. The main entrance gate is on the Snug Harbor Road. Visitors can drive their cars through the
main entrance gate to park their cars in one of several parking lots inside the garden.
More information on Staten Island Botanic Garden (SIBG) including the New York Chinese Scholar’s Garden is
available at the following website:
http://sibg.org/
3. Acknowledgement
We thank May Lee for recommending the Chinese Scholar’s Garden during the blooming season of cherry
plum blossom for the 2006 first spring outing for the 40-Plus Club and thank Elmer Hsu for recommending the
Crown Palace Restaurant in Staten Island for the dinner. Twenty-eight members of the 40-Plus Club enjoyed
very much this tour of the Chinese Scholar’s Garden and the dinner.
Sign of Chinese Scholar's Garden at Entrance Door
Moon Viewing Pavilion (望月亭)
In addition to Chinese Scholar's Gardens, the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens and the Branch Brook Park in the
New York Metropolitan area and Longwood Gardens near Philadelphia are also very beautiful. Please see in
the following web pages on these gardens:
http://www.shltrip.com/Iris_Garden.html
http://www.shltrip.com/Cherry_Blossom_in_New_Jersey.html
http://www.shltrip.com/Longwood_Gardens.html
New York Metropolitan area and Longwood Gardens near Philadelphia are also very beautiful. Please see in
the following web pages on these gardens:
http://www.shltrip.com/Iris_Garden.html
http://www.shltrip.com/Cherry_Blossom_in_New_Jersey.html
http://www.shltrip.com/Longwood_Gardens.html
After seeing the beautiful flowers in these parks and gardens in the Spring season, please also enjoy the
beautiful Autumn foliage in Garden State (New Jersey) in the following two web pages:
http://www.shltrip.com/Autumn_Foliage.html
http://www.mayleesart.com/FallEB.html
beautiful Autumn foliage in Garden State (New Jersey) in the following two web pages:
http://www.shltrip.com/Autumn_Foliage.html
http://www.mayleesart.com/FallEB.html
Two years later, sixteen members of 40-Plus Club visited the Chinese Scholar's Garden again on April 5, 2008.
The photos from this second visit are in the Part 2 web page on Chinese Scholar's Garden.
The photos from this second visit are in the Part 2 web page on Chinese Scholar's Garden.
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