Pebble and rock mosaic pavements

The Lan Su Chinese Garden in Portland, Oregon, U.S.A. is a truly wonderful place. It is an authentic reproduction of a 16th century Chinese garden constructed with materials brought over from China, including more than 500 tons of rock, by 65 artisans from Suzhou who lived in Portland for ten months while they put together and installed the structures just over a decade ago. Lan Su represents the spiritual retreat of a wealthy government official and scholar who sought an escape from the trials of every day life through a connection with nature.

I love to walk over pebble beaches and am constantly amazed by the variety of rock type, colour, shape, and pattern in pebbles. I find photographing pebbles irresistible. So I was immediately drawn to the pebble and rock mosaic paths and pavements that wound their way around Lan Su Garden – helping to enhance the sense of connection with nature through the feel of the stones beneath one’s feet. Here are six of the pebble and rock mosaic path patterns and designs that can be seen at Lan Su Chinese Garden.

For more of my pictures of pebbles from other places, you can look at the PEBBLES category here in Jessica’s Nature Blog