Waterfront Botanical Gardens (2023: Authentic Japanese Garden, Traditional Teahouse..)

Waterfront Botanical Gardens has unveiled plans for an authentic Japanese Garden that will bring some international flair to the city of Louisville.

The organization shared plans Wednesday morning for the new 2.5-acre garden alongside its Japanese designer, Shiro Nakane.

Nakane is the son of renowned traditional Japanese landscape designer Kinsaku Nakane and is in high demand for his Japanese garden designs.

The planned Japanese garden is slated to include a waterfall, lake, stream and tea house. The garden also will feature a local Bonsai collection donated by Louisville resident Tom McCurry. The collection features more than 20 plants across several different species, styles and sizes. Some of the plants are approaching 100 years old.

The Japanese garden will be constructed north of the existing Graeser Family Education Center inside the gardens. Waterfront Botanical Gardens received a $500,000 matching gift from the heirs of the late Emil and Nancy Graeser last year for the Japanese garden, and another $500,000 needs to be raised to match the gift.. The educational complex was named in honor of the Graesers.

Total costs for the garden have not been finalized, but it should break ground later this year and be complete by the end of 2021. Nakane and his sons, of Nakane and Associates, will travel to Louisville several times to oversee and assist with the design process alongside Perkins+Will.