Japanese Gardens of Pass Christian

By: Dan Ellis

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

New Orleans residents, Rudolf Hecht and his wife Lynne Watkins Hecht traveled in the business and social circles of the rich and powerful. They were also international travelers who applied their impressions of a foreign culture to their Gulf Coast landscape and created Middlegate Japanese Gardens. The Hecht’s gardens symbolized their good fortune, illustrated the design influences of the rich, and served as cultural ambassadors both on the Gulf Coast and internationally. There has been a fair amount of writings surrounding the Middlegate Japanese Gardens of Pass Christian and Margaret Ann Legett has researched extensively as noted in her Thesis of 2004. Substantial credit is given to her for her well authored manuscript from which copious information was derived.
This photorama captures the serene beauty and intricate design characteristic of the Japanese garden portrayed. Japanese gardens are renowned for their meticulous landscaping and water features that evoke feelings of tranquility, renewal, and exploration.