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of Southwest Missouri supports:  The Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden at Nathanael Greene Park 2400 South Scenic Springfield Missouri 65807 The Garden is open April-October from 9:00 am to 7:30 pm Closed on Tuesday and Wednesday Daily Admission: $3.00 for Adults Children 12 and under are free Yearly Pass: $25.00 (available for purchase at the ticket booth) Professional Photography Fee: $25.00 |
Botanical Society Events
Spring Azalea Festival: April
Japanese Maple Festival: May
Chrysanthemum Festival: October
Other Events
Cherry Blossom Kite Festival: April
Japanese Fall Festival: Septermber
The Japanese Character on this page is the character for "Garden"
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The
Botanical
Society
of Southwest Missouri
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The Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden
The Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden is a cooperative effort between The Springfield / Greene County Parks Department and The Botanical Society of Southwest Missouri. The Botanical Society designed many of the plantings and landscaping in the central area of the garden and other areas.
Funds for the purchase of plants, the construction of the Moon Bridge, Tea House, Bonsai Shelter, Moon Viewing Deck, Meditation Garden, Entrance Gate, Water Garden and the purchase of the thirteen story Carved Stone Tower were raised by the Botanical Society from many sources that include the Missouri Department of Conservation, Springfield Area Garden Clubs, the Community Foundation, the Close Foundation, the Springfield Water Garden Society and Members of the Botanical Society through their memberships dues.
Special thanks are due to Beth Turk for funding the Moon Bridge and Francis Quinn for making a major contribution to the construction cost of the Tea House.
The Moon Bridge and the Tea House are replicas of the bridge and Tea House found in the Japanese Garden in Ft. Worth, Texas. The Bridge was built in Louisiana of cypress and brought here by truck. Local contractors built the Tea House. The tile for the roof was shipped from Japan.
The upper lake is stocked with Japanese Koi Fish. Koi translates to mean "brocaded carp". These fish were found only in the Imperial Garden of Japan until after the end of the World War II. The Japanese Koi are not the only connection the garden has to World War II. The garden's namesake, Yuriko (Mizumoto) Scott was the first war bride to make the journey to the United States as the result of World War II.
The Iron Birds on the islands of the lake are to discourage herons from coming in and eating the Koi.
As you enter the garden on your left you will find a ten-ton Alaskan Jade Rock. It is one of the many jewels of the Mizumoto Japanse Stroll Garden. It was transported to Springfield on a specially reinforced plane some years ago and donated to the Springfield/Greene County Parks Department.