Written Journal #8: Fort Worth Water Gardens

Today, I ventured out to visit the Fort Worth Water Gardens with my group. Previously, I had visited the gardens a number of times in the past serving as a frog camp director in 2022. I remembered the gardens as a peaceful place to talk with campers about their goals and aspirations for college.  

When I returned to the gardens today, I was amazed at how much I learned. I found that there are “over 500 species of plants and trees” surrounding the park. I had always enjoyed the garden’s nature, but I never understood the magnitude of biodiversity present within the park's walls. I found it interesting to learn about the reasoning behind many of the architects' decisions on building the park. It seemed that the overarching goal was to help people escape from the busy commotion of the outside world. 

There are three pools in the gardens designed to immerse people in different microenvironments. Personally, I thought the “Quiet Pool” was the most interesting. The architects created the pool to feel tiny as you walk down due to the small staircase leading down to the pool. However, once at the bottom, there is nothing of human size, so the viewer feels tiny in comparison to the giant walls surrounding the pool. There is also a group of tall trees surrounding the edges of the walls. I thought these trees were aesthetically beautiful and made it feel as though you were out in the woods. 

While I was in the gardens, I couldn’t help but reflect on the works of Henry Thoreau. I noticed many people around me were observing the gardens by themselves. In the ‘Best of Edward Abbey’, Henry Thoreau once said “I go on my solitary woodland walks as the homesick return to their homes” (Pg. 276). His decision to live in solitude gave him the chance to fully submerge in nature without distraction. Therefore, prior to my group's arrival, I took the opportunity to sit by the ‘Quiet Pool’ by myself. It was a therapeutic experience for me due to the stress and anxiety building from finals week. I also constantly surround myself with people every day, so it was relaxing to take a moment to myself where I could sit without distraction. 

Below I included pictures of the water gardens, including images from the “Quiet Pool” and the different trees around the park.







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