Ross Malcolm had a rare and reverent eye for beauty—the kind of beauty that lingers in a falling maple leaf, that hides in the hush between bamboo stalks, that sings in the stillness of a koi pond at dusk. He traveled the world in search of gardens, exploring distant landscapes from Australia to the Galápagos, always seeking the quiet, complex, and profound wonder of nature.

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Among all the places he wandered, Hakone Gardens in Saratoga was one where Ross felt most at peace—where even his richly layered, inquisitive mind could rest in stillness.

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He cherished the elegant canopy of Japanese maples—his favorite perennial—but it was the koi pond that truly captured his soul. There, where water shimmered like silk and koi glided in slow, meditative arcs, Ross found a stillness that spoke to something eternal. It was a place not just to see beauty, but to feel it—to be immersed in it.

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In his memory, we invite you to honor Ross with a gift to support the renovation of the koi pond he loved so deeply. Your donation will help restore this tranquil heart of Hakone—ensuring its waters continue to reflect peace, harmony, and the kind of wonder and search for meaning Ross pursued with every step of his journey.

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This is more than a restoration. It is a living tribute to a man who saw the world not just as it is, but as it could be—graceful, sacred, and full of meaning. May his love of gardens—and the still waters he cherished—forever ripple outward.

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With love,

 

The Craft-Malcolm Family