For a city of such imposing proportions, San Jose offers some
surprising little enclaves to visit. These five garden-like parks
are small, intimate, and vary greatly in scope and concept. Just
one, or all of them, are a great little place to visit on a side
trip following a day running errands in the metropolis.
For a city of such imposing proportions, San Jose offers some surprising little enclaves to visit. These five garden-like parks are small, intimate, and vary greatly in scope and concept. Just one, or all of them, are a great little place to visit on a side trip following a day running errands in the metropolis.
JAPANESE FRIENDSHIP GARDEN, at Kelley Park, 1300 Senter Road at Phelan Avenue. Located on 6 acres, the serene and manicured grounds of this exquisite garden come replete with the soothing sound of waterfalls. Despite its proximity to the bustle of nearby Happy Hollow Children’s’ Park and Zoo and the San Jose Historical Museum, the garden enclave is a surprisingly meditative place to stroll and relax. Inside the welcoming, traditional roofed entrance gate, paved paths intertwine around three small lakes and a teahouse. Here and there, ancient lanterns, rock sculptures and several bridges appear. One is a wooden moon bridge spanning part of a lake; others are simple stone crossways over artistic water channels. A stone turtle fountain gurgles in the middle of the largest lake. A pagoda adds to the atmosphere of this peaceful scene, which seems as delicate and appealing as a silk painting. The park was dedicated in 1965 to observe the friendship between San Jose and her sister city of Okayama in Japan, patterned after Okayama’s Korakuen garden.
The Friendship Garden has an open park-like plan, unlike the usual, more formally laid-out Japanese gardens, but it retains the familiar elements one would expect to find, such as the streams, koi ponds, waterfall, and teahouse. Among the park’s plantings, willow, irises and redwood spring up near the unique cherry trees and Japanese maples, while gentle lotus rests upon the water. Part of the interest here is watching the ornamental koi come rushing to the water’s edge looking for a handout from visitors. Arrayed in shades of orange, pearl, cobalt, yellow, red, black and marbled variations, the fish provide colorful enjoyment for all ages. It’s a pleasure to watch them drift along in little clusters, like a work of living art set beneath leafy reflections in the water. Open daily 10 a.m. to sunset; $4 vehicle parking fee on weekends and holidays.
OVERFELT GARDENS, McKee Road and Educational Park Drive. It may take some getting used to this surprising combination of visual offerings. After the manicured, trimmed perfection of the Japanese Friendship Garden, this expansive park-like garden, with its collection of native trees and wild grasses, looks a bit carefree in scope. Located on the grounds of a pioneer Santa Clara County family ranch, the 33-acre park was deeded to the City of San Jose in 1959. Besides taking a stroll around several lakes, home to numerous generations of duck and geese, visitors will find a native plant sanctuary, a small fragrance garden, a grove filled with towering palms, sweeping lawns and a picnic area. A walk up the main trail reveals the Chinese Cultural Garden, with two interesting Chinese pavilions, one of them dedicated to Chaing Kai-Shek. A massive white marble and red tile Chinese Friendship Gate, a towering statue of Confucius, and a memorial hall dedicated to Sun Yat-Sen add to the Oriental appeal. It is definitely a different experience. Hours: 10 AM to sunset.
ROSICRUCIAN PARK, 1342 Naglee Avenue, gardens open daily dawn to dusk. The park grounds encompass the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, the planetarium and the Peace Garden. From the street, this ethereal set of structures, resting in a garden-like space as if there for centuries, seems like a Cecil B. DeMille set, transported in segments from a Hollywood back lot. Set down in a most pleasing fashion, if somewhat unrelated to the surrounding neighborhood, it’s an elegant spot to sit, and stroll. In the garden spaces, ancient plants such as palm trees grow, interspersed with symbols from the past. A small obelisk copied three-quarter size from one of a pair erected in Heliopolis, Egypt in 2300 BC, ankh symbols carved into a gate, sections of real, growing papyrus, and a shrine to Akhnaton are some of the features of this small grassy park, where an elegant and serene new Peace Garden was installed in 2004. Other amenities on the grounds include a bookstore, cafe, and, of course, the Rosicrucian Museum itself. The garden makes a restful spot to repose after a visit to see the museum’s mummy and artifact collection from Ancient Egypt.
SAN JOSE MUNICIPAL ROSE GARDEN, Dana and Naglee Avenues. A large central fountain, mature redwood grove, grassy amphitheater, and lots of lawn on its tranquil 5- 1/2 acres add to the focus of this 79-year-old garden park. Located only a few blocks down the street from Rosicrucian Park, this rose-filled garden was once the site of a prune orchard. The concept for the garden came from the Santa Clara Rose Society. Purchased by the City of San Jose in 1927, the site was turned into its present state of loveliness with roses provided by the Society, opened to the public in 1931 and dedicated in 1937. Stylized and tidy, the layout of this walk-through park leads the visitor on a gentle exploration of a numerous and colorful variety of roses.
A closer look reveals 189 rose varieties represented here, in the form of 3,500 shrubs. Arrayed in all shades from white, cream, lavender, yellow, gold, orange and pink, the colorful offering invites the passer-by to shed predispositions for only the red ones. Besides numerous types of hybrid-teas with evocative names like Honor, Dynasty, Houston, Graceland, and Pink Favorite, there are also groupings of floribundas, with clusters of blooms per stem. Stately grandifloras bear evocative names like Arizona and Tournament of Roses. Each rose bed is labeled with species type and name. Miniatures abound here as well. A large arbor bears fragrant Cecile Brunner and Summer Dream. Bring a picnic and stay a while, as they say, don’t forget to stop and smell the roses. Hours: daily, 8 AM to one-half hour after sunset.
Then there’s the park-like surroundings of Winchester Mystery House, 525 S. Winchester Blvd., open 9-5 daily, where admission to the grounds is free. Pick up a Garden Tour self-guided brochure that leads visitors around the home’s exterior and offers a peek into various outbuildings. Stroll the authentic and beautifully maintained Victorian gardens, where ornamental boxwood hedges define the spaces.
Numerous varieties of mature trees offer shade near small areas showing off statues and fountains. The Historic Firearms Museum displays various models of the famous Winchester arms, the so-called “Gun That Won the West.” The small Antique Products Museum gives today’s visitor a peek at other items once manufactured by Winchester, such as garden tools and farming equipment, small electrical appliances and even kid’s roller skates. A cafe and gift shop on the premises offer a pause in the day’s wandering. Wheelchair and infant stroller access is easy here, especially for those who can’t come inside due to all the staircases.
