Zhao Garden is the site of the "Xiao Wangchuan" garden. During the Jiaqing years of the Qing Dynasty, a local named Wu Junji planted bamboo and raised fish here. There was a pond with lotus flowers that spread their fragrance for miles, and it was called "Shuiyuan" (Water Garden). In the Tongzhi and Guangxu years, the garden was owned by Zhao Liewen, a Changzhou native who had resigned from his post and lived in Changshu. Zhao Liewen had served as the prefect of a direct-controlled state and was a senior aide to Zeng Guofan. After acquiring the garden, he, along with his wife (the daughter of Deng Tingzhen) and his brother-in-law Deng Jiaji, worked together to renovate it. It was then called "Zhao Garden," "Zhao Wuyuan," or "Zhao Huyuan." It is now a provincial-level cultural relics protection unit in Jiangsu.

Zhao Garden covers less than 10 acres and adopts a "waterside garden cluster" layout. The water surface occupies more than half of the area, and the garden is centered around the water. The attractions are built around the pond. A winding bridge stretches from south to north across the pond, forming a unique landscape. The western corridor is called "Dianchun Corridor." The continuous reflection of the corridor's pillars in the water creates a rhythmic and beautiful melody. The corridor features three different styles of buildings: "Xianchun Pavilion," "Buai Yunshan Pavilion," and "Dianchun Pavilion," separated by lattice windows. Outside the corridor, the ancient city's inner river water surrounds it, making it an excellent scenic belt. At the end of the Dianchun Corridor is an old, quaint bridge called "Liufeng Bridge," where the garden's water meets the inner river water, creating a flowing current. Outside the garden, the scenery of Yushan is clearly visible, with the water and mountains forming a harmonious scene within the garden. The main hall of Zhao Garden, located to the north of the pond, is called "Nengjingju," a gable-roofed building where the garden owner used to receive guests. Zhao Liewen was not only a politician with unique foresight but also had interests in epigraphy and Buddhism. He called himself "Nengjing Jushi," and the name of the main hall reflects his dedication to study and quiet learning. The boat-shaped structure on the south side of the pond is an old part of the garden, which was renovated in 2004 during the restoration of Zhao Garden. The "Tianfang Building" in the northwest corner of the pond is a library. Like many other libraries throughout history, some of its books were unfortunately lost, but fortunately, some were preserved and are now housed in libraries across the country.

During the Republic of China period, Zhao Garden was purchased by Sheng Xuanhuai from Changzhou and became a branch of the Tianning Temple in Changzhou, named "Ningjing Lian Society."

Zeng Garden is adjacent to Zhao Garden. Originally called Xukuo Garden and commonly known as Zeng Family Garden, it is the former residence of Zeng Pu, a famous novelist and French translator in the late Qing Dynasty. The garden covers an area of about 20 acres and is now a provincial-level cultural relics protection unit in Jiangsu.

During the Tongzhi and Guangxu years, Zeng Pu's father, Zeng Zhijian, resigned from his post and returned to his hometown. He built his home on the site of the "Xiao Wangchuan" garden, which was originally constructed by Qian Dai, a censor during the Wanli years of the Ming Dynasty. The construction started in the ninth year of the Guangxu reign and was completed in the twentieth year, over 120 years ago. Zeng Garden is located by the mountains and water, with a clear and bright environment, and is renowned for its "half urban, half rural, half mountain, half water" scenery. The garden can be divided into two parts: the southern area and the northern area. The southern area features a typical Jiangnan courtyard layout with main buildings such as "Guigeng Kedu Lu," "Yuhui Caotang," "Junzi Changsheng Shi," and "Shou'er Kangshi." These structures reflect the garden owner's intentions of honoring his parents, educating his children, and gaining fame. The courtyard is lush with flowers and trees, especially the Ming Dynasty camphor and red bean trees, known as the "two treasures of Zeng Garden." The northern area is the backyard garden, centered around the water with pavilions, waterside gazebos, artificial hills, bamboo, and ancient trees. The eastern corridor wall is embedded with two sets of stone carvings, "Shanzhuang Kedu Tu" and "Mianyun Xiansheng Guigeng Tu," totaling more than 30 pieces. These carvings feature the calligraphy of late Qing Dynasty masters such as Li Hongzhang, Weng Tonghe, and Yang Yisun, with diverse styles and exquisite craftsmanship, making them valuable for artistic appreciation. In the center of the pond is the "Buyi Pavilion," and two winding bridges stretch across the pond in the north-south and east-west directions, connecting the "Yao Yue Xuan" in the southwest of the pond and the "Meihua Shanfang" and "Meihua Tian" in the south. The main pond is famous for its thousands of lotus leaves, earning it the nickname "Lotus World." It was a great place to admire lotus flowers in the ancient city and was named "Zeng Garden Lotus Fragrance" among the 18 Scenic Spots of Yushan. In addition to its beautiful water scenery, Zeng Garden is also unique in its garden art for maximizing the integration of Yushan's beautiful scenery, creating a natural and picturesque landscape.