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Back To Lan Su Garden Located in Portland's Old Town / China Town area, Lan Su Chinese Garden spreads on only one city block, or about 40,000 square feet. It is a replica of the home of a Ming Dynasty Suzhou official and scholar named Chu. In such a compact space, the garden carries all the essence of traditional Chinese private garden. All the five elements -- rocks, water, plants, architecture and literary inscriptions -- are presented and integrated harmoniously. It was there that I first learned what "a scene in each step" really is. History & CultureSource: Lan SU Chinese Garden offical site at The dream of a Chinese garden in Portland began in 1985, when a group of Portland officials, including City Commissioner Mike Lindberg, traveled to China to establish a sister city relationship with Suzhou—one of China’s most fabled historic cities. The group was enthralled with Suzhou’s beautiful gardens and Lindberg resolved to have a garden built in Portland. Three years later, the sister city relationship was established and a nonprofit organization, the Classical Chinese Garden Society, was formed to begin garden planning. Mayor Vera Katz pledged to civic leader Bill Naito her commitment to obtain a garden site. In 1995, the board of Northwest Natural Gas donated a 99-year, $1 lease on the site at Northwest Third Avenue and Everett Street. Two years later, Mayor Katz led a fund-raising initiative and the Classical Chinese Garden Trust was formed. Many foundations and individuals gave their financial support and the Portland Development Commission provided a major loan. In June 1999, picks and shovels clanged on what was the gas company’s parking lot as U.S. companies started the site work. Meanwhile, in Suzhou, artisans built the wooden buildings and cast the decorative windows that were shipped to Portland along with 500 tons of rock. More than 65 Chinese workers (and two Chinese cooks!) arrived in the fall to construct the garden’s buildings and pathways. An authentic plant collection was amassed and planted, thanks to the cooperative effort of landscape designers, generous local nurseries, Portland Parks bureau and volunteer horticulture experts. A third non-profit, the Portland Classical Chinese Garden, was formed to operate the Garden after its opening on September 14, 2000. Thanks to the dream, perseverance and generosity of elected officials, civic leaders and residents, Portland is the proud home of the most authentic Chinese garden outside of China. |
