Meadowlark Botantical Gardens, VA

Map showing Founding Farmers and Meadowlark Botanical Gardens

 This map was posted after several questions about where these places are located.

One day Jonathon and Tracy join us for lunch at the Founding Farmers (of South Dakota) restaurant in Reston, VA. The reason the hostess looks unhappy is that I asked her to step just behind the horse for her to appear more like a centaur.  Needless to say she was not as amused by the idea as I was.

Entrance to Founding Farmers

Grumpy hostess

The food here is really good. Having heard about Impossible Burgers, I had to try one and am delighted. In fact, we are all happy with our orders.

These desserts look tempting, but not on my diet

Peter likes the menu

While the others discuss family business, I watch a window washer working on a building across the street. Hey - I'm a country girl and don't spend much time in large cities with high rises and am easily amused by window washers. After lunch we drive to the Meadowlark Botanical Garden. Tracy points out this botanical garden is recommended in the Atlas Obscura.

Window washer dangling from cables

Los tres hombres - Mark, Jono & Peter

Entrance to Visitor Center at Meadowlark

This Visitor's Center is one of the nicest we've ever seen. Looks like a great place for weddings and important meetings.

Entryway

Fireplace

Looking back to the entrance

Outside, the grounds are truly beautiful. Many of the trees already have Christmas lights. Too bad we won't be here, it must be quite a sight at night around the holidays.

We notice an intriguing Asian garden and walk over to check it out.  It's the Korean Bell Garden built in 2007 as a collaborative effort between the botanical garden and the Korean American Cultural Committee (KACC). 

Entrance to the Korean Bell Garden

Love this rock

Koi pond in the Korean Bell Garden

In the center of the garden is a beautiful pagoda with a corbelled roof. These kind of roofs are known by scientists to survive major earthquakes without any damage. The large bronze bell hanging in the pagoda is the Bell of Peace and Harmony. It was cast by one of the best bell makers in Korea using a centuries old traditional style featuring images of birds, animals and even those symbolic of Virginia.

Peter and Jill pay homage to the garden

The Bell of Peace and Harmony

Bird's nest in pagoda's roof

Surrounding the Peace Bell pagoda are a number of Korean sculptures. The dol hareubangs are human forms carved from porous basalt.  They feature bulging eyes, a long broad nose, and a slight smile. Their hands are placed on their bellies, with one higher than the other and they have a rounded cap on their heads. Replicas are commonly sold to women with fertility issues. The jangseug or village guardian is a totem pole like sculpture carved out of wood.  They are frequently placed around the edges of a village to frighten away bad spirits. The sotdae are long wooden polls with mostly a bird, usually ducks, sitting on top. Being associated with water, the ducks are thought to control rain and thunder and thus serve as a protection from floods. Also, in general, birds are seen as messengers between earth and the gods. 

Dol hareubangs

Jangseugs

Sotdaes

This garden looks like the dreamy embodiment of the Hudson River School of painting.

Such a romantic place

No wonder it's such a popular place for weddings. As a matter of fact, we come across a pre-wedding photo shoot taking place at the pavilion over one of the lakes.

Pavilion with koi swimming lazily in the lake

Wedding photo shoot

Dreamy place for a wedding

At the far side of the lake is a children's garden containing storybook sculptures.

Mr Toad

White Rabbit

Woody Woodpecker ?

The romantic mood is enhanced as the late afternoon light fades into evening.

Gazebo for trysts

Local Lovebirds

Late afternoon

It's been a lovely day and we all really enjoyed ourselves. If you get a chance to visit the DC area, try to make time to see this botanical garden. It's well worth your time.