Nestled deep in the Japanese Section of the Birmingham Botanical Gardens is a bamboo grove. A boardwalk winds through the dense bamboo columns that rise high into the air, providing shade and solitude from the noisy outside world. Japanese lanterns, gifts from the sister city Hitachi, are prominently displayed to the passersby. Six benches, created from the dense tropical wood Ipe, create a small outdoor classroom within the octagonal section of the boardwalk engulfed by Cypress and Bamboo. These comissioned benches provide places for learning, respite and contemplation.