Find your zen in Bel-Air

Shh.  Listen up, I’ll let you in on a little secret.  Tucked away in fabulous Bel-Air, there lies a secret garden.  A secret Japanese garden that will power up your zen and leave you with a feeling of inner peace should you find it.  I’m sharing this with you because, well, I found it and it was so serene and peaceful that I’m quite sure there is no place in LA like it.

Welcome to the Hannah Carter UCLA Japanese Garden.  A carefully crafted space of sheer natural beauty and zen-ful peace over an acre of land in Bel-Air.  It was purchased in 1965 by the Chair of Regents of the UCs and his wife, then donated to UCLA that very same year.  Since then it has been property of the school, but open to free self-guided tours.

The garden is inspired by the Kyoto style Japanese gardens, and many pieces, such as this front gate, were made in Japan and then reassembled here.  It was envisioned by two Japanese masters of landscape architecture and garden design for one very rich couple living here back in the 50s.

So much natural beauty here that you would swear that you’re not in Los Angeles anymore.  Here is the view from the very top of the hill overlooking the entire garden (much like everything in Bel-Air though, it’s shrouded by trees and bushes).

Here is a shot of the Hawaiian garden, lying at the base of the running waterfall.  You’ll find a tea garden, bonzai garden, pagoda, shrines, and tons of foliage over the land.  I thought it strange to not include a rock garden or koi fish, but perhaps that didn’t fall into their plans.  It’s absolutely gorgeous here and worth a visit.

Planning your visit may be the hardest part.  It’s free, but hour-long reservations can only be made between the hours of 10-3 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.  They should also be made at least a week in advance as they can only hold two cars in the parking lot at a time.

I was lucky enough to have come here after a scheduled meeting at FOX in Century City.  The other party also canceled so I had the entire garden to myself to enjoy.  Did I find inner harmony?  Maybe.  Maybe not.  Either way, it was the most serene lunch break I’ve ever had.

To book your reservations or for more information, check out their website here.