I was surprised to know that there is a full blown Japanese garden here at the Powerscourt Estate. The garden is just one of several interesting places within the estate. The garden itself is reclaimed from old bogland. It also feels like it is lower than other places, including the nearby Triton Lake. This is perfect for something like a Japanese garden whose design takes the landscape into consideration. When you approach the garden itself, it feels like you can coming from a higher area, so you can get a good look at the entire garden. Already, I can see the pond and the pavilion which is common in oriental gardens.
The garden makes use of rock as a design element too. I have seen this in Chinese gardens and the aesthetics are almost the same. There is a small bridge to help you traverse the pond waters and eventually reach the pavilion itself. I think it would be nice to hang out here if only to immerse yourself in the illusion that you are in Japan. I am not familiar with the plants that are present here but there is one that stands out for me. The willow tree is one which a staple in oriental gardens. Their long branches would bend down creating that distinct effect you see in these types of gardens.
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