The Trees of Overfelt Gardens

The land for Overfelt Gardens was bare farmland when it was donated, so all trees and plants had to be planted. Our docent described that many Chinese immigrants left China with seeds and seedlings from their homeland. Once they arrived, they propagated the seeds and began planting them in the San Francisco Bay Area to remind them of home. She described one family who traveled from Northern China to Hong Kong, with jewels, currency, and valuables sewed into their clothing, and pocketfuls of seeds and plants.

Distinctive leaves of the Ginkgo tree at Overfelt Gardens.

Many of the trees in Overfelt Gardens were planted from seeds and seedlings brought over from China. Many of them were once considered quite rare. Through propagation and naturalization, these plants have become familiar in San Jose and the Bay Area, including:

• Cherry
• Chinese Pistachio
• Chinese Red Pine
• Crape Myrtle
• Flame Tree
• Ginkgo

Overfelt Gardens also has many native plants, including oak, palm, and willow. The trees and plants of Overfelt Park are an integral part of its peaceful beauty.

Overfelt Gardens/Chinese Cultural Gardens

My aunt and I recently visited the Overfelt Gardens in San Jose to learn more about Chinese gardens. The 33 acre garden is part of a land gift from the pioneering Overfelt family to the city of San Jose. Miss Mildred Overfelt, a retired school teacher, wanted to provide a place of serenity in the once rural area of San Jose. Our docent provided information about the garden, Chinese Cultural Center, and the Chinese history and worldview that is incorporated into the garden.

Overfelt Gardens – the statue of Confucis the philosoper. 

One of the most noticeable features of the garden is its atmosphere of peace and tranquility. Paths wander through the garden, circumventing the three percolation ponds (fed by the underground aquifer) and reflection pool by the statue of Confucius (drained of water during our visit). The water features host a variety of wild birds; turtles, frogs and fish; and small mammals. Benches, shelters, and pavilions are strategically placed along the paths, overlooking or framing beautiful views. We wandered at a slow pace, drinking in the fragrances and beauty, sometimes conversing and sometimes just enjoying the scene before us. We saw many of the elements of Chinese gardens that we explored in Elements of the Chinese Garden.

• Rock – a beautiful rock that was sent as a gift from the people of Taiwan. Recall that rocks invoke mountain ranges in the landscape.
• Water – the water treatments provide a sense of tranquility., and provide a home and resting place for wild creatures. 
• Plants – the garden is planted with palms, native California oaks, and trees native to China.
• Structure – the buildings provide focal points in the garden, places to gather or meditate. Many of the structures include poetry or inscriptions (like Confucius's Discourse on the Great Harmony, in both Chinese and English), and examples of Chinese architecture (such as tile roofs, ceramic fairies to keep away evil spirits, and a set of marble lions that represent male and female).

We both left the garden feel relaxed and refreshed, wanting to hold on to that feeling of serenity for as long as possible.

Honored Dead

To observe Independence Day this year, I made another visit to the Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland. I missed the Memorial Day weekend tour of the Civil War section, given by the Mountain View Cemetery docents. I thought it was fitting to visit the cemetery for Independence Day, despite quite a time lapse between the nation’s Revolution and Civil War.

Civil War memorial in the Mountain View Cemetery.

The Civil War section is easy to find - drive up the central axis and turn left at the second fountain. The section is surrounded by a chain of cannon balls set in cement. Several canons stand in position as if to guard the site. A monument to “Our Nation’s Honored Dead” stands in the center of the memorial, added a generation after the war. Veterans of the Civil War are buried in this place. A mature Magnolia tree (Magnolia grandiflora) spreads its branches over the grave stones.

Our Nation's Honored Dead 1861 - 1865.