We’re working with eleven members of the Oregon Potters’ Association who have brought us bonsai pots and trays to sell in conjunction with our latest Art in the Garden exhibition: Urban Green:Small Trees for Small Spaces. Bonsai artist and owner of Tokyo’s hot Sinajina nursery, Kenji Kobayashi has been here since last week, potting plants in some of the OPA artists’ pots and in some he brought with him from Japan. He also brought along some of the greenest, loveliest Japanese moss I’ve ever seen. It’s amazing to watch him at work. He chooses plant materials, rakes their roots feverishly, pots and finishes each one in less than ten minutes. If you’ve ever planted anything you know how droopy plants can become when introduced to a new environment. Everything he’s potted looks like it’s been established in its new home for years!  Although he and I have only been able to communicate with crazy hand gestures on my part, and knowing smiles and head nods on his, we’ve had fun picking out the right pots and watching him put the exhibition pieces together. All of the potted bonsai in the exhibition are for sale and will go quickly. Additional bonsai vessels and trays made expressly for this event, tools, and books on the subject are available in the gift store through the run of the exhibition, May 27-June 19.

Beautiful gifts are arriving daily including tea light sets for indoors or out, windchimes, fresh, colorful scarves, exquisite jewelry, limited edition hand bags, tea sets, and  green tea from Sugimoto USA. Kyohei Sugimoto will be here on Mother’s Day serving his family’s amazing teas. Stop by the pavilion to meet him, sample tea, and peruse the lovely things we’ve put together for last minute gifts for all the moms on your list. The pavilion space will be open from 10am-3pm and of course, our gift store is open every day from 10am-7pm, except on Mondays when we open at noon.

The current Art in the Garden exhibition, Come Back Koi!  has opened this weekend and it has been wildly successful. Every one of the framed pieces available have been sold and many of the prints are sold out as well. Never fear, the gift store will be putting out their collection of “all things koi”  this week and there’s truly something for everyone: children’s pajamas, taped frame prints, enamel boxes, ceramics, jewelry, greeting cards, incense holders,  art books, kokeshi dolls, bento boxes, sticker sets, and of course, the ever popular koi nobori banners in various sizes and colors.

We’re now open until 7pm every day of the week so make  a trip to the garden before you head home after work. It’s a good way to let go of a stressful day and maybe avoid some rush hour traffic too.

In the wake of the tragedy in Japan, the notion of Mono no aware,  (the sensitivity to ephemera) attached to cherry blossoms or sakura seems even more poignant this year. The translation I like best for Mono no aware is “the ahh-ness of things, life, and love”.  Ahh, indeed. We’ve seen the first blush on the sakura near the tea house which means the rest should be in full bloom in a matter of days.  The cherry blossom symbolizes good fortune, love, and affection. Around here, it’s a sure sign of spring. Come find them on beautiful incense sets, hand-painted plaques, note cards, sticker sets, bento boxes, ceramics, jewelry, photos of the garden, washi, and accessories from Yumimiya.

Like most things of beauty, cherry blossom viewing here at the garden is fleeting. Plan your visit soon.

The news of the recent disaster in Japan has been on every one’s mind  particularly here at the Garden. While we have heard that our many friends and colleagues there are safe, their lives are dramatically changed as you can well imagine.

We invite you to pause outside the garden’s admission gate where a temporary wish arbor has been set up. The wish arbor is based on the idea of writing wishes on strips of paper (called tanzaku) and tying them to branches of bamboo on the occasion of Tanabata. the Star Festival. At a time when we feel so hopeless in the scope of this tragedy, expressions of hope, prayer, and love are sometimes all we can offer and what the people most affected need.

We are selling our remaining 2011 calendars for $5 and $1 for every one sold will go directly to the Japan Relief Fund. Donation boxes are set up in the garden or you can go to our website to make additional contributions: http://japanesegarden.com/japandisaster/

Please continue to keep the people of Japan in your thoughts.

I’m hearing bells and you can too if you stop by the gift store and check out all the new wind chimes we’ve received this week. We have classic chimes to hang on your porch or in a tree, chimes on stakes to put in your potted plants, and even little chimes to hang from the rear-view mirror in your car if you’re the “no moss growing under my feet” type. Whether you prefer the warm, natural tone of a bamboo wind chime, the tinkling of a metal one, or the resonating sound of a gong, we’ve got something for everyones’ taste and budget. You’ll hear them before you see them as we have displays set up outside the store and the winds of change are playing them beautifully. Prices range from $10 to $86.

You know what they say about rabbits…they’re cute and cuddly. Oh, and they’re prolific breeders and multiply like…that must be why our tiny gift store is teeming with them right now. The rabbit has long been a symbol of fertility, or rebirth and the reason it is often associated with Spring.
Connie is currently re-working the corner display shelves with all things bunny: new nesting bento boxes, incense burners, furoshiki, ceramics, puppets, and baby gowns, t-shirts and onesies from Portland-based Eclectikid. Eclectikid is the brainchild of Grant Brady and Michelle Gay. They understand that fresh and local doesn’t just apply to food and bring that idea to their amazing kid’s line. Cool graphics, unusual color combos, and super soft cotton combine to make the best gifts for the lucky baby born under the sign of the rabbit. $26-$32. We’re featuring their Ready Or Not rabbit and the X-bot robot designs here in the store but check out their website for more designs: http://www.eclectikid.com/

Well, we now know what’s meant by wintry mix in weather-person speak. We’ve seen snow, hail, rain, and sun all in one afternoon here at the Garden. We were forced to close the Garden on Thursday, February 24 when Washington Park made the decision to close because of icy roads and pathways. There’s plenty of winter weather coming and we’ve just received  lots of new books geared towards indoor crafting. My current favorite is  just perfect for the Portlandia crowd: Trash Origami by Michael G. LaFosse and Richard L. Alexander illustrates 25 paper folding projects made from last year’s calendars, snack bags, holiday cards, and even soup can labels. Andy Warhol would be impressed! The book includes a DVD for clearer instructions and is suitable for all levels of folders. Cover price: $19.95 Member price: $17.95.

If folding’s not your thing, consider A Japanese Phrase A Day. This 365-page tutorial by Sam Brier and Keiko Matsuura is the fun way to learn Japanese every day. Each tear-off page includes a practical Japanese phrase, it’s correct pronunciation, and some related facts and tips about Japanese culture and language. There’s also online audio available so you can hear and practice every phrase until you’ve got it down! Cover price: $16.95. Member price: $15.25.

It’s official: The Tiger has taken his tumultuous year with him and made room for the tranquility and calm ushered in by the Year of the Rabbit. Is it any coincidence that the Garden was “born” in another rabbit year; 1963?

These unusual clear and sunny days of February are a good time to experience those rabbit qualities the Garden offers and take a look at all of the new merchandise the gift store is getting in daily. I am back from the last of the winter trade shows and found lots of great things including new bento boxes, tea sets, textiles, books, notecard sets, recycled chopstick baskets,  and too much more to mention here.

In the next week or so we’ll feature cute things for the little girls in your life as we get ready for Hina Matsuri, the Doll Festival starting February 25. Take her picture at the Hina Ningyo display and then bring her to the gift store to pick out a  backpack charm, sticker set, or hair accessory as a souvenir of her special day with us. You’ll notice that the curatorial department uses the children’s book, Japanese Celebrations by Betty Reynolds in their exhibition. This book covers all of the major Japanese holidays.  With it’s sweet illustrations and explanations of decorations, food, dress, and activities, it’s  a fun way to introduce children and adults to Japanese culture and traditions. Cover price: $16.95. Member price: $15.25.

Welcome to 2011. It seems like it’s been a long time coming but it’s finally here. Although the garden is seemingly quiet this time of year, there’s plenty going on in the gift store. I go to the first gift show of the season in San Francisco on Friday, we start inventory the day I get back, and then there’s gift shows in New York and Seattle to attend at the end of the month. While I’m always excited to look for new and interesting things for the store, we need to thin out our current inventory before we can squeeze anything else on the shelves. This is where you come in: stop by the store and check out the clearance corner for treasures that are at least 50% off of the original price and in some cases,  up to 75% off! These are things we either brought in for a specific exhibition or event, bought too many of, or just aren’t seasonally appropriate. If you have a “present room” like my mother does, you can start your 2011 holiday shopping now and when the shopping madness begins in earnest, you can rest easy knowing you not only have your presents bought but that you saved BIG doing it!

All sales final. Membership discounts DO apply. Discounts not valid on memberships, shipping, or previous sales.