Brentney Hamilton Recommends

Fort Worth’s Botanic Garden is resoundingly beautiful, but one 7.5 acre section stands apart due to the fact that it is not always in rich floral bloom. In observance of the Japanese practice of Mono no aware -- which roughly translates to “transience” or “gentle sadness” -- organizers explain that “if the garden was always blooming, it would never be special.” While springtime brings the brightest pops of colors to the garden, autumn is a time to appreciate its subtler nature. This annual festival includes traditional Japanese dance, music, martial arts, sword demonstrations, tea ceremonies and raku (that’s high-heat pottery making) beside winding pathways and koi ponds.