Garden History
The Willow
Pond Japanese Gardens
have been progressively constructed since 1985 and have reached a
semi-matured stage with the growth of the larger trees. The
original design was carried out by Eiji Morozumi with construction and
revised design by Norma and Ramon Lawrence (and family).
Zen Garden
The Zen garden to the left hand side to the entrance to Ramon's
at Willow Pond (in front of the Willow Room) is based on the famous Japanese
Zen Garden at the Ryuanji Shrine in Kyoto, Japan. The garden is constructed in the "dry landscape"
style called Karesansui. The rocks of various sizes are arranged on small
white pebbles in five groups, each comprising five, two, three, two, and three
rocks. The garden contains 15 rocks arranged on the surface of white
pebbles in such a manner that visitors can see only 14 of them at once, no
matter what angle the garden is viewed from. It is said that only when you
attain spiritual enlightenment as a result of deep Zen meditation, can you see
the last invisible stone.
The raked lines are circles around the rock groups and yet
straight elsewhere - and you will love how the lines stop without a single
misplaced pebble when they touch the circular patterns, and then resume
unchanged beyond them as if the rocks are islands.
Wabi is a powerful design technique that uses simplicity and
understatement to allow the viewer's imagination to "fill in the
blanks".
The design generates tension, drawing the viewer to
contemplate the mystery of Zen. It can't be photographed in entirety, the
dimensions could drive any photographer to distraction, but that is the beauty
of it.
All you can do is just put the camera away, sit down and
contemplate it. Especially when you realise that no matter where you sit,
you will only see 14 of the rocks at any one time.
A
second Zen Garden was designed and constructed at the rear of the lake
by Ramon Lawrence in 1994 in dedication to the Tsukimino Kenyu Kai, a
Kendo Association in Japan which visited Budokan Academy that
year. Other parts of the garden have been dedicated to senior
martial arts teachers who have been directly involved in the development
of arts practised at the Budokan
Academy or on a National basis.
Garden Weddings
Two gazebo's and a
pergola are sited around the gardens and are suitable for wedding
ceremonies of varying sizes. Up to twenty chairs are provided
adjacent to the wedding ceremony site so that ample seating is available
for the elderly or those who may require to be seated. Additional
chairs can be provided at a small charge if required.
During wedding ceremonies
the bridal cars are permitted to drive on the lawn areas to delegated
drop off points close to the venue being used in the gardens. A
popular item is the horse and carriage or the Harley Trike
motorcycles. These are often retained for photographic sessions on
completion of the wedding ceremony.
Seminar Breakout
The garden atmosphere is an
excellent venue for rest periods during intense seminars or for breaking
into syndicate groups for discussions. Clients find the gardens
very relaxing and obtain a more focused response from attendees at the
seminars.
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