Yume Japanese Gardens
Opening early 2026
An announcement from Michelle Conklin
I have some exciting and important news to share with you. After many months of conversation and careful consideration, a historic agreement has been reached between Tucson Botanical Gardens (TBG) and Yume Japanese Gardens of Tucson, our neighbor to the south on Alvernon Way. As of today (May 30, 2025), TBG has acquired Yume Japanese Gardens. It is our hope to reopen it to the public in early 2026, after completing some infrastructure projects within the two-thirds of an acre space.
Yume Japanese Gardens was founded by Patricia Deridder in 2011 and designed to offer visitors a place of tranquility and healing.
Like the Tucson Botanical Gardens, Yume is composed of a series of small, pocket garden spaces. There are seven traditional, residential Kyoto-style Japanese courtyard gardens that invite visitors to sit and reflect as if they are in their own Japanese home. The grounds also feature distinct garden areas such as a Pond Garden, Bamboo Garden, and Dry River Garden.
The structures at Yume reflect sukiya architecture, a traditional Japanese style characterized by simplicity, natural materials, and harmony with the landscape. Appropriate to its Midtown location, Yume focuses on intimate, inward-facing courtyard spaces that enhance their subtle scale and quiet atmosphere while offering visitors an immersive cultural experience.
Patricia, who will serve on the Gardens’ Advisory Board, says, “Yume began as a treeless space with compacted desert soil. Over the years, the land has been reshaped and sculpted with care. I really wanted to offer a place as authentic and close to the Japanese spirit so that visitors could enjoy peacefulness and find happiness. Many visitors have told me that the gardens make them feel calmer, and I am happy that the intent is felt. Of course, the gardens are only one window into the heart of Japanese culture, and that is why museum exhibits as well as a gift shop were created.
Under the caring stewardship of TBG, I know that these intentions will be respected, and Yume will continue to be a place of restorative beauty. I am very happy that Yume will now be a distinctive part of TBG. I believe they will honor its original spirit while enhancing and carrying it forward with the sensitivity and reverence it deserves.”
For my part, I am deeply honored that Patricia has entrusted us with the legacy of Yume Japanese Gardens. We feel privileged to carry forward the vision and beauty she so lovingly created. With great care and respect, we are committed to preserving its essence and ensuring it remains a place of inspiration and serenity for generations to come.
In that spirit, I am sure you have questions about how this will work on a practical level. Please bear with me and my team, including our new Yume personnel, as we work out those details. We will be in touch again in the coming weeks and months with more information. Thank you.
My best wishes,
Michelle Conklin
President and CEO
