Just outside of Taipei in the town of Banqiao is a traditional garden. One of Taiwan’s most important families built the garden in the 19th century. After falling into disrepair it was restored in the late 1980s. On the day I visited with Ellen, a Fulbright colleague, the garden was hosting a flower show.
The Lin Family Garden covers 4.2 acres, but it seems much larger. The space folds in on itself in long, straight corridors and curving paths and bridges that trace back and forth, connecting in large and small pavilions. The winding paths are hidden from one another by walls and plantings. Narrow paths open onto carefully framed vistas to create the impression of space and distance. It’s the kind of place you can wander in for hours, but finding a particular location is really hard.
Water is an important element of the garden design. There are several separate ponds, some connected. At one of the ponds a group of people were staring forlornly into the water, where a purse was floating out of reach. A little while later two workmen passed by with long-handled nets, on their way to rescue it.
Another charming feature of the garden are the artificial mountains, built up out of concrete and rock, with path inset between the “peaks” so that you can climb the mountain range. There’s also a miniature “Great Wall” that has a tunnel underneath, with a naturalistic cave.
The day my colleague and I visited, a local flower arranging club had filled the garden with magnificent arrangements. Ellen is from Iowa, and she said it reminded her of the flower exhibits at the Iowa State Fair.
These flower are getting a spritz.
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