Japanese Garden With Pavilion Planned For Suburban Detroit

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NOVI, Mich. (AP) - A Japanese garden with a pavilion and 17 flowering cherry trees is planned for suburban Detroit.

A ceremonial launch for The Sakura Garden project is Wednesday at Michigan State University's Tollgate Farm and Education Center in Novi. Mitsuhiro Wada, consul general of Japan in Detroit, is scheduled to attend along with and Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson and others.

Wada says in a statement he hopes the garden "will be a place where Japanese and American families congregate to enjoy cherry blossoms together."

The project is expected to be completed next summer.

Patterson donated $10,000 toward the $150,000 project. He says those involved wanted to create "a destination that will last for generations and can be enjoyed by everyone." Fourteen corporate sponsors also each contributed $10,000 to the project.