The not-quite Japanese Tea Garden in San Antonio

On Google maps it reads: “Japanese Tea Garden”. But at the entrance to this unusual garden in San Antonio, the gate reads: “Entrance to the Chinese Tea Garden”. And as I walked up the stairs I got the impression of entering one of those ancient Japanese fortresses where samurai warriors stood guard at the top.

entrance to San Antonio tea garden — This entrance gate was created decades after the garden was founded during a time when the original Japanese caretakers had been removed to internment camps during World War II. The U.S. was friendly with China at that point in time.

A few more steps up and that image vanished as I came to the pavilion level of this unusual garden which really does not look like any Japanese–or even Chinese–garden I’ve ever seen. So the photos below are an attempt to recreate the sense of walking through this sunken garden. Be sure to read the captions.

stairs to the pavillion at the San Antonio Tea garden — The building on the left has the massive feeling of an ancient castle built with stone. In fact, it is, in part, a Japanese cafe/restaurant.

The large open air pavilion has — This large open pavilion overlooks the garden. And, yes, the roof is covered with palm fronds.

View down into the sunken garden in San Antonio — The view down into the garden from the pavilion level.

an old limestone quarry transformed into a garden — The wall directly ahead in this pix reveals that the garden was originally a limestone quarry. According info on the city website, the company that leased the site decided to abandon this quarry back in 1899 and the property became the responsibility of the the San Antonio Parks Dept. The head of the Parks Dept. decided to build a “lily pond”. Since then the garden has gone through one incarnation after another.

San Antonio tea garden — Looking back at the pavilion and the massive stone columns extending right into the pond.

koi in pond in tea garden — What would a Japanese tea garden be without Koi?

Mexican feather grass at tea garden — Then I began to notice the unusual selection of plants in the garden. This Mexican Feather grass is a very popular plant for hot dry desert gardens.

violas and geraniums at tea garden — Geraniums (Pelargoniums) native to South Africa are blooming side-by-side with yellow violas, that originated in Kenya. Very odd horticultural choices for a Japanese garden.

plant islands in the tea garden ponds — These plant islands in the pond are also quite odd.

walkway to viewing tower at Sn Antonio Tea Garden Wandering Lady blog 2019 — This walkway on the pavilion level leads to a viewing tower away from the garden.

lunch at tea garden San Antonio — And to end a visit to the garden, have a Bento box lunch.

2 thoughts on “The not-quite Japanese Tea Garden in San Antonio”

We were both very disappointed with our visit here three years ago. This was after previously visiting the Butchart Gardens in Victoria and their Japanese Gardens area. Was magnificent so we were spoiled. So, this place was a big disappointment. Did not get a real Japanese cultural experience at all.

carollightwood says:

May 6, 2019 at 9:28 am

As I walked through it, I decided not to think about it as a true Japanese garden, but rather as a sunken garden–of undetermined style. But the one thing San Antonio has that is wonderful are all the trees–in such variety–filled with twittering, singing birds.

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2 thoughts on “The not-quite Japanese Tea Garden in San Antonio”