VIEWS FROM THE BENCH
THE GAZEBO

by Florence W Deems

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The Gazebo is a fun place to visit, especially in the spring, summer and fall. During these seasons, there's a snack bar open in its lower level, which serves beer and other cold drinks, ice cream, and hot dogs, etc. A restroom occupies another part of the lower level. A wooden deck is built around two sides and sits over part of the Lotus Pond. Three round tables plus metal chairs allow visitors to sit over the pond while they partake of their snacks. In this pond during the summer grow true lotus plants with white flowers and large platter-sized leaves. Below is a panoramic view of the Gazebo seeming to rise up from the autumn lotus leaves. Click on it to view a larger size.

Beside the Gazebo end of the pond is a stone-paved patio containing a wooden bench and several round tables and metal chairs. At one end of this patio sits a sculpture by J. Seward Johnson, titled "Family Secret." A couple of weeping willow trees shade and protect the patio during the summer. At the far end of the pond is a corkscrew willow with its interesting twisted branches.

Wooden steps lead around two sides of the Gazebo to the upper level which consists of two decks. A roof protects occupants of the upper deck from rain and snow while they enjoy the view of the Lotus Pond and beyond on all sides. These decks are accessible all year. The image below shows people leaving the upper part of the Gazebo. The out-of-focus green blobs are lotus seed pods.

From all decks, one can see two benches: one under a weeping cherry tree on the gravel road side of the pond; the other at the far end of the pond from the Gazebo. One can see this latter bench throughout the year. But only during the late fall, winter and early spring is the bench under the cherry tree fully visible. After the tree blooms and sends out its leaves, its bench is almost hidden from people strolling along the road. So during the summer I love to sit on it and peer through the weeping branches to watch people along the road and sitting on the Gazebo's lower deck or looking over the railings of the two upper decks.

Click on the images below to see a larger size.
All images were made before the recent upgrade of the patio.

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Below are some views shot from the upper decks of the Gazebo itself. The first image in the first row is a panorama from the upper deck. Beyond the left edge will be the weeping cherry tree and its bench. At left in the image is a sculpture by Izik Benshalom, titled "First Love." To its right is what I am calling the Lotus Pond Bench. Continuing to the right is the large expanse of lawn on which stands, at the right, the sculpture titled "Garden State" by Isaac Witkin. The Lotus Pond shows no lotuses at the season of shooting - mid-March. The boat shaped sculpture at the pond's sedge is "Acheron" by Marsha Pels. This was the name of one of the Greek rivers in their mythological Underground.

The next image in the first row shows the Weeping Cherry and its bench in winter. The last image in this row is a panorama showing part of the Patio with J. Seward Johnson's sculpture, "Family Secret", the Pond and the Weeping Cherry. The railing showing in the lower part of this images surrounds the lower part of the upper deck.

In the second row, the first image shows an image of part of the scene shot as part of the larger panorama. I made this image for a photo assignment. The next image shows one of the lower deck tables and chairs. You can see how the deck is built out over the water. The sides of this Gazebo also slope inwards, which is evident in this image. Looking down on the deck with a table and chairs shot in autumn from the top of the Gazebo is the last image.

Click on the images below to see a larger size.

The first image below shows a couple dancing to the music by the Gazebo during the Summer 2010 Festival. The large lotus leaves show in the background. The next image, shot from the top of the Gazebo looks down upon a woman sitting on the deck and admiring one of the huge lotus leaves.

Below is a map of the Grounds for Sculpture. The Gazebo is located at "GAZEBO" (N4 square - far right side of map). Click on map image to see a larger version.

Click on the links below to see views from each bench.

Lotus Pond
Large blue G on the map, square N5, below Gazebo

The Patio
Next to pond

Under the Weeping Cherry
Large blue F on the map

Hilltop Table
To right of Gazebo on map

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