The Charlotte Partridge Ordway Japanese Garden at Como Park

The Charlotte Partridge Ordway Japanese Garden is a gem within the already-exceptional Como Park complex in St. Paul. Tucked within the grounds at 1225 Estabrook Dr, this traditional Japanese-style garden features a koi pond, arched bridge, lanterns, carefully shaped trees, and the deliberate spatial design that characterizes Japanese garden philosophy — a striking contrast with the surrounding Minnesota park environment.

For families visiting Como Park, the Japanese Garden is a natural complement to the zoo and conservatory visit. Where those experiences tend to be energetic and stimulating, the Japanese Garden offers a different register: contemplative, beautiful, and spatially unusual enough that children who have never seen this design tradition find themselves naturally slowing down and paying attention. The koi in the pond are the reliable crowd-pleaser — visible from multiple vantage points and responsive enough to gathering visitors that even toddlers stay engaged at the water's edge.

The garden is free to visit as part of the Como Park complex, which continues the theme of remarkable no-cost quality that characterizes the entire Como campus. Open seasonally (spring through fall), the garden is at its most beautiful in late spring and early summer when plantings are in full leaf and bloom, though the autumn foliage period also produces exceptional color.

For photographers and families who enjoy creating beautiful memories, the Japanese Garden offers some of the most compositionally elegant photo opportunities in the Twin Cities — the arched bridge over the koi pond with garden plantings in background is the signature shot that Como visitors consistently produce. Accessible by stroller throughout, and worth 30-60 minutes of quiet exploration as part of a longer Como Park day.