GCN9QV House of the Rising Sun (Multi-cache) in Kwazulu Natal, South Africa created by Noddy

This cache has been archived.

Knagur Green: Due to no response from the CO after the request to maintain or replace the cache, I am archiving it to, stop it showing on the listings and/or to create place for the geocaching community.

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Knagur Green
Groundspeak Volunteer Reviewer

GCN9QV ▼

A cache by Noddy Message this owner

Hidden : 3/31/2005

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

The Japanese Garden at Durban North is the most recently developed of the larger parks. Water gardens with Japanese stuctures are features in this pleasant park.

Please be very careful of muggles. Look and take your time before retrieving the caches. There are lots of benches, so relax.

Laid out in a traditional style, the Japanese Garden ponds attract a variety of water birds. There are picnic areas and a playground.

Background information to
The Durban North Japanese Gardens

“To reproduce a traditional Japanese Garden outside Japan is virtually impossible, even though it might be designed and executed by a Japanese gardener”. There are some fine examples of traditional gardens in Japan.” Gardening the Japanese Way – SIMA ELIOVSON

On Thursday June 27, 1963, the Japanese Gardens in Durban were officially opened to the public by the Town’s Deputy Mayor Mr Clarence Kinsman. In creation it was not an officially sanctioned project and was situated on an undeveloped valley vlei – (South African description of a swampy area.) As Durban lies in a extremely humid – sub tropical environment, substantial allowances and sacrifices had to to be made as to the availability of plant material and the effects thereby achieved.

Conifers are used in limited quantities as a result of the high humidity and temperatures, and so there is a greater reliance in indigenous plant material and the various bamboos to had this role. The plant bamboo, Bamoosa vulgaris aureo – virigata provides a unifying feature thoughout the gardens as well as the use of indigenous evergreen yellowwood trees: Podocarpus falcatus, Podocarpus latifolius and Podocarpus henkelii. Use is also made of the legume family as they bear a resemblance to the flowering cherries ie. |Giricidea maculate.

The water features were generally laid out on the sites of natural springs which flow year round. Arching bridges, stepping stones and Louisiana Iris then form the framework around the streams. The Iris flowering in early spring and ranging in colour from the common mauve through to maroons, yellows and white flowering varieties. Various species of water lilies have also been planted along the sacred lotus, the symbol of life. Japanese koi carp were introduced to the ponds along with Telopia. There is an abundance of wild bird life, resident in the gardens until the seasonal birds provide the colour during the mating season. A striking inhabitant during the summer months is the red bishop which nests in the reads and a pair of Egyptian geese.

An interesting feature adjoining the main path is the “Golden Frog” which was set up by the Rotary Club of Durban North. This construction has beautiful turquoise glazed tiles on the roof and looks out over the main lake. The other structures in the gardens are the summer houses. These are sites for special view points and have been made of materials that blend into the landscape, grass thatched roofs with bamboo side walls.

With plant material, use is made of clipped hedges to simulate rolling hills and distance, for which the shrub Bougainvilla, has been found suitable. Striking winter features include the flowering periods of the Azaleas and Tabebuia’s. The Azaleas from masses of either mauve, white or brick – red flowers and last or weeks. The Tabebuia’s are deciduous and when in full flowers are a massof pink or yellow, Tabebuia heptphylla and Tabebuia chrysotricha.

The side walls of the summer houses and screens in the gardens are all constructed with the reed –grass called Arundo donax and the giant bamboo, bamboo vulgaris. The sections painted with varnish to give a protective covering, and then arranged into a design according to the location that they are to be used in either as an open space or as wall with viwing sections. These screens form an integral part of the landscape as hey relate to the buildings and to mans presence. The use of screens as a fence, wall or enclosure is the essence of the concept of borrowed landscape-shakkei, which is inherent in any Japanese design or garden.

The new car park and entrance way stared in 1993 has improved the approach to the gardens and allows for an improved management of motor vehicles. The gardens are a popular tourist destinations and popular on weekends for passive recreation. It has adequate conveiniences such as public toilets. There are no food outlets in this garden, but this does nor detract fromm the function ability of the gardens.

The gardens were dedicated on 26th January 1996 as a Sri Chimmay Peace Gardens.
A total of 34142 motor vehicles and 323 buses visit the gardens annually.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Ubcrshyyl gur sebt jvyy tvir lbh gur yhpx lbh arrq gb svaq gur pnpur.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)