Arboretum History
Arboretum History

The David G. Porter Memorial Japanese Garden

Header image: The David G. Porter Memorial Japanese Garden, 2011

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The David G. Porter Memorial Japanese Garden was dedicated to past Ontario Veterinary College professor David G. Porter by his wife, Mrs. Bobbi Porter, in June 1995. This garden was inspired by the Zen gardens that the Porters visited during their trip to Japan in 1993. However, because many of the plants that grow in Japan will not grow in the southern Ontario climate, this garden utilizes other alternatives.

To learn more about the David G. Porter Memorial Japanese Garden, visit the Gardens page on The Arboretum’s main website.

Three individuals stand in a cleared area. The man on the far left is wearing a baseball cap, black shirt, and denim jeans. He stands and watches as a man with short black hair leans over to lift a rock. The man going to lift the rock is wearing a white long sleeve shirt and beige pants. A man in the far right faces away from the camera, looking at a pile of rocks. He is wearing a grey shirt and black pants.

Construction of the Japanese Garden, 1995.

A man and a woman stand on a gravel area in front of a wooden structure being built. The man on the left is wearing a white fedora and a blue suit. The woman on his right is wearing cream button up shirt and beige pants. The two converse. Behind them, what appears to be a small gazebo is being built. A man sits on top of a ladder and is leaning over to look at where he is hammering.

Construction of the Japanese Garden, 1995.

A young woman with large dark brown hair stands in front of a field with a truck and a backhoe. The woman is wearing an oversized green coat and black pants. In the distance, a truck has positioned a large tree spade in the field. A yellow backhoe and red pickup truck sits nearby.

Excavating the Japanese Garden site.

A crowd of people form a circle around two women. A woman with short brown hair is standing speaking to the crowd. She is wearing. white dress and small heels. A woman with mid-length brown hair stands behind her with her hands clasped. She is wearing a long blue dress and flats. Wooden arbors and a lush green forest can be seen being the crowd.

Dedication ceremony of The David G. Porter Memorial Japanese Garden, 1995.

Stepping stones cross in a zen garden. A small pond with a fountain sits behind the zen garden. The pond is bordered by a tall bamboo fence. Wooden arbors and tall trees can be seen in the distance.

A view of a Japanese Garden. A small pond with a fountain sits in the bottom left of the frame. A groomed zen garden lies behind it. Green shrubs and small trees are planted behind the zen garden. The edge of a gazebo is seen in the far left of the picture.

The David G. Porter Memorial Japanese Garden, 1995.

A small stone pathway leads across a small pond through an archway in a bamboo fence. Through the entrance, this is an open field with a forest in the distance.

The Japanese Garden’s original bamboo fence, 1995.

A Japanese-style gazebo stands behind a small row of snow covered shrubs. The roof of the gazebo is covered with a thick layer of fresh snow. There is a small pond, another row of shrubs, and a wooden fence behind the gazebo. Everything is covered in a fresh layer of white snow.

Snow in the Japanese Garden.

A zen garden is raked to form curving lines in the grey gravel. Behind the garden sits a Japanese-style gazebo. The gazebo's wood is clearly brand new. Behind the gazebo, there is a row of small green shrubs. An open field with trees is seen in the distance.

Young trees surrounding the Japanese Garden, 1995.

A dark wooden fence and archway surrounds a Japanese garden. Inside, a pond, wooden gazebo, bench, and many green bushes can be seen.

The Japanese Garden, 2020.

This is a sampling of some of the many photos that have been taken and people that have been a part of The Arboretum’s 50 years of operations. Do you have some photos you would like to share? Upload them to our Arboretum History Kudoboard.

The land where The Arboretum now grows has been home to plants and animals for thousands of years. It was home to Indigenous peoples before settlers arrived. We recognize the Dish with One Spoon territory, the treaty lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit, and the Between the Lakes Treaty 3 lands on which the University of Guelph and The Arboretum now sit. We are honoured to work on and care for this land.