Monday 28 September 2009

Zen Garden




Innovation Place is a research park located at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, and situated on 80 acres. This zen garden with a small pond and waterfall is an excellent place to enjoy the summer, while in winter the pond serves as a skating rink.







UPDATE: Chris from Iceland inquired about the types of birds in Saskatoon. A perfect place to visit is Nick Saunders of Saskatchewan Birds, Nature and Scenery.

Photo Credits: Jordon CC=nc-sa-flickr. Click to enlarge the photos.

14 comments:

Teresa said...

This place is magnificent!

pattinase (abbott) said...

Lovely as always.

debra said...

It looks like a place for quiet contemplation. Beautiful. Thanks, Barbara.

Sekhar said...

Oh.. I do love Zen gardens & do visit a zen garden near my house. Thanks for sharing the pics :)

Rune Eide said...

I have never heard of zen-parks (my fault for being acknowledgeable), but it looked like a nice area for relaxation - and photography.

Reader Wil said...

Excellent photos, Barbara! This is a really lovely, peaceful garden!

Chris said...

Hi Barbara,
This seems to be a nice garden to walk in. Any birds there ? ;-)

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful place. I read where Saskatoon recorded a temperature of -50C in 1893. I cannot imagine what that would be like. Lovely post Barbara.

Leah J. Utas said...

I'm ready for a nap just looking at it.

Barbara Martin said...

Teresa, there is a similar garden in Lethbridge, Alberta.

Patti, waterfalls, large or small, even in photos produce a tranquil effect.

Debra, I can see workers and students coming for their breaks.

Barbara Martin said...

Sekhar, gardens whether zen or not provide soothing to those who seem to lack energy.

RuneE, I learn something every day from your photos.

Chris, Saskatoon has a multitude of different birds that migrate from South America yearly, as well as local ones who remain year round.

Leigh Russell said...

This is beautiful. It reminds me of a lovely garden near Bournemouth, Compton Acres, which is laid out as a series of 'authentic' themed gardens: Roman, Italian, etc., culminating in a spectacular Japanese garden.

Barbara Martin said...

Wil, parks seem best when few people are present.

Pam, it is VERY COLD. I lived in a rural area one winter with only a woodstove to keep the house warm. One night in January the temperature dropped to -45F with a windchill that dropped it further to -68F. A person dresses in layers, one being wool: usually thermal underwear (which I still have, packed away for just in case). For women it's good to put cream on your face before going outside to protect the skin cells from freezing. Better yet is to cover everything except for a place to peek out from. Glasses are a hazard in cold weather as when you come into a warmer area they fog up like crazy.

Barbara Martin said...

Leah, I'm glad the photos are having the desired effect.