SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – As the Japanese Garden celebrates its 100th anniversary, the city of Sioux Falls has plans to keep it thriving for years to come.
Horticulturist Ben Chu has been pruning trees for 30 years and now trains city forestry staff in traditional Japanese techniques for preserving historic parks.
A look back at the nearly century-long history of Sioux Falls' Japanese Garden.
Japanese Gardens Established
Original design by Shoto Garden.
According to the Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation website, the Japanese Garden at Terrace Park was established in 1928 by former caretaker Joseph Maddox. The purpose of the garden was to give South Dakota residents a taste of Japanese life and culture.
The original design included waterfalls, ponds, stone paths, retaining walls, bridges, and a variety of vegetation. According to the park's website, the original plan called for 14 different tree species and 16 different shrubs.
The temple was constructed using natural rock from the Bighorn Mountains, and the terrace walls were hand-laid using native quartzite.
The garden was finally completed in 1934, when Better Homes and Gardens presented the Sioux Falls Federation of Women's Clubs with its highest local honor, the More Beautiful America Achievement Award, for its contributions to the Japanese Garden.
Restoration in the 1980s
According to a 1985 KELOLAND News report, years of neglect and vandalism, especially during World War II, caused the staircase and walkway to collapse.
See our expert pruners at work in Sioux Falls
In the mid-1980s, the Shoto Garden Committee was formed to promote the gardens' renovation.
A city-funded study of the park, completed in 1983, estimated that restoring the gardens could cost more than $150,000.
The city of Sioux Falls awarded the Parks and Recreation Department $65,000 in funding in January 1986 to renovate the gardens, according to the parks website. The Shoto Gardens Committee ultimately raised $300,000, according to an Argus Leader clipping posted on the parks website.
Construction began on the restoration in October 1986. In December, South Dakota State Penitentiary received a Community Service Program Grant to pay the inmates for their work. The inmates began repairing and restoring the stonework and lanterns.
Renovation of the Japanese garden was completed in 1991, and an opening ceremony was held on August 26th.
Recent renovations
The walls, staircase and new addition were completed in 1991, but the garden's pergola had remained untouched since it was built in the early 1930s, according to a 2021 Keloland News report.
In February 2021, KELOLAND News reported that crews were working to restore the pillar, using the original stone. By April, construction crews were welding new pillars and rafters.
In November 2023, the City of Sioux Falls will complete shoreline improvements to Covell Lake near the gardens. The purpose of this project is to stabilize the lakeshore to prevent further erosion and improve access for maintenance vehicles and the Japanese Garden area. City social media Said.
