Walking alongside bodies of water is almost always a relaxing experience. A stroll on the beach, through the sand and next to the rolling waves, or on the shores of a serene lake or rolling river helps you to forget about the stresses of life. There's something about the natural occurrence of water that soothes the soul. However, harnessed water can have a similar effect in the right setting. The Fort Worth Water Gardens is that kind of setting.
Located in the corner of downtown, the Fort Worth Water Gardens is close enough to the bustle of the city to be convenient and far enough removed to be quiet and solitary. The Water Gardens contains beautiful foliage and rock sculpting that is easy to get lost in (metaphorically speaking, of course). There is a peace to the area, something not commonly found in an urban setting.
The main attraction, though, is obviously the water. The Water Gardens holds three different sections of water: the meditation pool, the aerating pool, and the active pool. Each collection of water offers a different scene and mood, but all utilize water in a tantalizing way.
The meditation pool, as the name would suggest, is the calmest of the three water spectacles. The Fort Worth Water Gardens Wikipedia article describes this pool as such: "The quiet, blue meditation pool is encircled with cypress trees and towering walls that are covered in thin plane of water that cascades almost 90 degrees down to the sunken blue water feature. The sound of the water on the walls evokes thoughts of a gentle rain shower." Though this description is accurate, it cannot begin to describe the serenity of the meditation pool. The pool is located on a lower level than the other two pools, secluding it from the already secluded area. Leaning your hands on the walls and feeling the water running through your fingers to your wrists is majestic and surprisingly cooling during a hot Texas day. Each tree twists and towers in a unique fashion, giving you the feeling that you have found an oasis in the middle of a forest.
The aerating pool would be a pretty normal pool if not for the multitude of spray fountains jetting water into the air. At night, the fountains are lit, and the light reflects off the leaping drops of water to create a hypnotizing spectacle.
The main attraction of the water gardens, though, is the active pool. This pool has waterfalls flowing almost 40 feet to a collection of water below. The architecture allows for visitors to trek to the bottom of the basin and be surrounded by the cascading water, almost as if they are standing next to a natural waterfall. It is shockingly warm in this basin, but the trip to the bottom is a worthwhile journey.
In addition to the three pools, the Water Gardens features a constructed "mountain" that can be climbed in order to view all 4.3 acres of the area. It is a wonderful view, one that can mesmerize you for several minutes.
I have visited the Fort Worth Water Gardens three times now, and each time I walk away calmer and, somehow, more content than I was when I walked in. Walking with water, natural or otherwise, has a way of doing that to you.
I really liked this post! Your writing was almost as soothing to read as the water that you were describing.
ReplyDeleteI did not know that the spray fountains were lit in the evenings! I would love to go see that! I wonder if the Water Gardens will be decorated for Christmas? If so, that would be even cooler!
Your last sentence reminded me today of my morning. I was driving back from yoga and the two other girls in my car were reading the football rankings aloud on their phones. When we read about TCU, the three of us were disappointed, but because we had just come from a calming hour of yoga, we were completely zen about it. We were pleasant and all calm. Yoga did to us, what water did for you (which was really good while reading the rankings!)!