Use arrows to browse images, or click photo for a full screen slide show. Photos by Thomas Knapp of TR Knapp Architects
From Preservation Partners of Fox Valley website:
Installed c. 1910, the Japanese Garden is a tranquil oasis where history melds with nature and design. George and Nelle Fabyan developed an intense appreciation for Japanese culture after visiting Chicago’s 1893 Columbian Exposition, which featured a Japanese Pavilion. After moving from Chicago to their “villa” outside of Geneva, they commissioned renowned landscape designer Taro Otsuka to design a Japanese style garden on their property. The nearby river and surrounding woods provided a perfect canvas for a Japanese-style garden, which relies on borrowed scenery for its naturalized vistas.
After the Fabyans’ deaths, the garden was not maintained. In 1974 the Geneva Garden Club was inspired to undertake the restoration of the Japanese Garden, which was now part of the Fayban Forest Preserve. It has undergone two extensive renovations since then. This historic garden affords the opportunity to experience the uniqueness of Japanese gardening and enjoy a moment of harmony with nature while strolling the winding path of this 100 year-old site.
