Garden Photos

Howard entertained in front of the entrance building. You know that you have arrived when you see this building. Stop in for a visit you will never forget. Howard Finster started Paradise Gardens in the early 60's.

This cement mosaic sculpture is one of Howard's first works in his Sculpture Garden. He originally named the Gardens, "Plant Farm Museum". This was based on the fact that he planted the beds with his flowers and vegetables. Together, he raised some of the food for his family here. Howard said that people started calling it Paradise Gardens and that is why it is named that today. The land is very moist and marsh. It was great for the plants but not for the cement. He started creating the walkways and sculptures from pieces of broken glass, antiques, ceramics and what ever he could find to put in the cement. He even spelled out names with marbles and bicycle chains. In the background is one of his mirror houses. This was built over a creek on posts. Broken dishes that you would through away, Howard took and recycled into cement. He is one of the early inventors of recycling objects, by making them beautiful creations of art.

This little building was Howard's pump house. It was built by the creek so he could pump water for his plants and vegetables. What an ingenious, decorative system that he had going. You can see the beds of plants surrounding the bottle house in this picture. The bottle house also represents the Coca Cola Company because he saved the old glass Coke bottles and built the little pump house with them. This was about the time that the plastic Coke bottle begin to be marketed. He made the front door with stained glass pieces and a cross on the front. The whole time that Howard Finster was creating his Garden for decoration and planting, he was also very purposely creating his little sanctuary to connect people to God. You can feel this connection everywhere you turn in Paradise Gardens. Howard's spirit and labor of love is everywhere.

One of Howard Finster's last wishes
for his Paradise on earth was that The Garden Chapel
would be restored and finished.