Bound natural stone surface in the Japanese Tea Garden

The Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco is one of the most historic gardens in the United States. Originally created as the “Japanese Village” for the California Midwinter International Exposition in 1894, the garden has evolved over more than a century into a five-hectare retreat featuring bridges, pagodas, koi ponds, stone lanterns, and winding paths.

Today, more than one million people visit the Japanese Tea Garden annually. This high volume of visitors posed significant challenges, particularly for the paths and open spaces. By 2025, the existing surfaces were increasingly in need of renovation due to heavy use. The City of San Francisco therefore sought a solution that would be durable while preserving the tranquil, natural character of the historic garden.

Requirements and Challenges

The central challenge was to create a surface that could withstand the high daily visitor traffic while remaining unobtrusive enough to blend harmoniously into the existing garden architecture. The light granite character of the existing paths needed to be preserved without continuing to suffer the typical drawbacks of loose aggregate—such as shifting, washout, rutting, or the need for regular maintenance.

At the same time, the new paths had to be safe and comfortable to walk on. A smooth, low-barrier, and ADA-compliant surface was particularly important so that visitors of all ages and with varying mobility needs could safely enjoy the garden. The solution therefore had to be technically robust, low-maintenance, and durable, yet not visually dominant.

ROMEX® Solution

For the renovation, the San Francisco Parks Department and the contractor European Paving Designs opted for a bonded natural stone surface using ROMPOX® - 201 DEKO UV. The transparent, UV-stable binder was combined with a light-colored granite material to preserve the natural appearance of loose aggregate while creating a solid, stable surface.

The bonded construction method preserves the desired character of a light, natural granite surface, while making the surface significantly more resistant to shifting, washout, and mechanical stress. The surface was carefully installed and adapted to the curved lines of the garden paths. After curing, a solid, comfortable-to-walk-on surface emerged that continues to look like a natural stone surface.

Our technical management team from Germany oversaw the project on-site at the construction site to provide technical support for the execution and ensure the exceptional quality of the installation.