US historic library's Chinese Garden celebrates expansion with grand opening

"The new parts of the garden - especially the scholar's studio and the Penjing bonsai garden are really beautiful and unique," added Elana.

To Rachel and Christopher, another local couple on a photo safari in the garden, the Chinese Garden has special significance for them.

They told Xinhua they first met in the Chinese Garden in 2018 and split a Huntington membership so they could get to know each other while exploring the garden's romantic vistas. The couple are now married.

"This is a special place for us, " Christopher told Xinhua. "And the landscape is so beautiful it always helps me to calm down, so I can leave everything outside, and just relax and appreciate the beauty that they've set up here and how well they tend it."

Another local guest, Tim, noted the beauty of the garden. "I love the Huntington and the opportunity to get away to some place beautiful in nature here in the heart of Los Angeles," he said. "It's quite stunning and the work that they've done is just breathtaking."

James Folsom, the Telleen/Jorgensen Director of the Botanical Gardens, lauded the contributions from generous community donors, hard-working staff, volunteers, and talented architects and designers from China and the United States without whom the project could not have been made and whom all contributed to making the garden the jewel in the Huntington's crown.

"Together we have created a world-class attraction that not only celebrates historical landscape traditions but also embodies the contemporary ideals of international cooperation and cross-cultural exchange," Folsom said.