Few People Know There’s A Peaceful Japanese Tea Garden Hiding Right Here In South Carolina
South Carolina is brimming with hidden gems scattered all over the state. From hidden parks to waterfalls, archaeological treasures, and more, there is a wealth of beautiful and exciting places to explore right here in our own back yard. To that end, not many people know about the Japanese Tea Garden in South Carolina tucked away on a side street in the City of Newberry.
Located on Lindsay Street and only a few steps behind Newberry City Hall, the Wells Japanese Garden is a small, but lovely place to escape. The Japanese garden was built in 1930, in the height of the depression by Newberry native and architect, W. Fulmer Wells.
In 1970, the Wells family donated the garden to the city and, whereas the entrance to the formerly private garden has been via the Wells' house and other gardens, the city made a new entrance and named the garden for its creator.
The small, triangular-shaped garden that remains contains a series of walking paths and focal points. Wells created two ponds that now have concrete bridges, including a Japanese Moon Bridge.
The garden also contains a traditional Japanese Torii that serves as a gate to the sacred garden. It stands at what is now a cornerstone entrance from the street.
And no Japanese garden would be complete without a teahouse. The structure in the Wells garden has a traditional tile roof. The posts that support the heavy roof were reclaimed from the Newberry Opera House which was under renovation at the same time as Wells built his Japanese garden.
The Wells Japanese Garden makes perfect use of the small space it occupies in downtown Newberry and offers a quiet respite for a cup of tea of the bring-your-own variety, or just to take a break from your usual routine.
From hidden beaches to other hidden gems only the locals know about, this Japanese Tea Garden in South Carolina belongs on your bucket list of places to discover in the Palmetto State.
Wells Japanese Garden is open daily year-round from dawn to dusk. Learn more at this link on the official website of the City of Newberry.
Address: 1608 Lindsay Street, Newberry, SC, 29108
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Robin Jarvis is a travel writer and editor for OnlyInYourState.com with a bachelor's degree in Journalism. Her love for travel has taken her to many parts of the world. She's lived in the Carolinas for nearly three decades and currently resides in Charleston. When she's not working, she loves to cook with friends and check out new adventures. General questions and FAM tours: rjarvis@onlyinyourstate.com.
