This year, guests to the Fort Worth Botanic Garden will notice construction work as several major projects get underway, thanks to the support of the City of Fort Worth and many generous donors.
Old Garden Road
This road has long served as a primary service route between the Garden Center and the historic Rock Springs Building; it connects the newer, northern sections of the garden with the southern, historic sections of the campus.
A $1.3 million renovation will convert Old Garden Road from a vehicular roadway to a generous 20-foot-wide pedestrian walk. Native and ornamental plantings, landscape boulders, ornamental curbs, benches and custom lighting inspired by the traditional WPA-era architecture of older sections of the Garden will complement new paving of native stone and finished concrete.
Full Moon Bridge
This structure in the Japanese Garden is one of the most recognized features of the Garden. Under the guiding expertise of David Sipos, a master carpenter and expert in Japanese woodworking, the current structure will be fully replaced with a new version utilizing traditional Japanese joinery and weatherization techniques.
The foundation will be improved and reinforced, and the original brass rail and finials will be retained and replaced on the new structure.
Tea House
The Tea House in the Japanese Garden will be given a major facelift by Japanese garden expert John Powell. Improvements will include a tokonoma, the ceremonial niche for scrolls, floral arrangements and art pieces often included in traditional tea events. A new preparation area, improved lighting, traditional screens and furniture will also be added
Traditional Japanese stucco will be applied to the inside and outside walls of the teahouse, and improvements and repairs will be made to the exterior wood trim.
Rose Ramp Shelter House
This key feature of the original Garden will have the foundations of the surrounding retaining walls stabilized. Additional renovations to trellises and other elements are also planned to protect this important part of the Garden’s history.
“We are excited to get these projects started,” said Executive Vice President Bob Byers. “Any inconvenience from construction will be more than made up by the years of enjoyment these completed projects will bring to guests.”
