Welcome to the Japanese Garden at Bellarmine Hall

The Japanese Garden at Bellarmine Hall was designed in 1926 by Arthur Asahel Shurcliff for the Walter B. Lasher family. The Lashers had built their home, "Hearthstone Hall," in 1926, and hired Shurcliff to design this garden as well as the formal gardens surrounding the house. Photographs from the period along with the original plans show the Japanese Garden complete with:

  • 3 bridges
  • Water flowing from pool to pool on stone runways
  • Paths with lanterns and statues
  • At the extreme west end of the garden, a replica of Mt. Fujiyama which was able to let off smoke through a chimney in the peak

View a collection of these photos below, and the next time you're on campus, visit the Japanese Garden near the upper parking lot of Bellarmine Hall!

Japanese Garden
Early 20th Century Images of the Garden

Japanese Garden
Contemporary Images of the Garden


Related Information

Watercolor Designs for the Formal Gardens at Bellarmine Hall by Arthur A. Shurcliff

Biographical information on the landscape architect, Arthur A. Shurcliff

Original Garden Plan with Annotations of Original Japanese Elements created by Vincent M. Appel

Original Garden Plan with Annotations of Missing Elements to the Garden created by Vincent M. Appel.

Additional early images of the garden in the Fairfield University DARCroom (Digital Archives at DiMenna-Nyselius Library)