Valley Gardens Japanese Garden - Harrogate, UK - Japanese Gardens on Waymarking.com

There are two distinct entrances to the Japanese Garden. The one to the east has a stone marker commemorating the garden's opening and the one to the west has a large information board.

The information board

Welcome to the Japanese Garden

History: Japanese gardens have been built in Japan since the 8th Century. They were inpsired by Chinese landscape painting and the spirit of Nature.

Japan opened to global trade in the late 19th century followed by a greater interest in Japanese culture.

A Japanese Garden was created here in Harrogate's Valley Gardens by 1930. Over the decades the Japanese character of the garden declined leaving only a few Japanese maples, and was virtually forgotten.

Restoration work began in 2017 to bring the heritage of the garden alive again and finished in 2018.

The garden is called 'Shijima' the Japanes word for serenity and stillness.

Design: The Japanese Garden is a stroll garden with a calming feel, and has borrowed views of the wider landscape, such as the Cafe which could be thought of as a'tea house'.

Enter the garden through the gateways, which are marked by a welcoming sacred bamboo plant. Stroll around the garden paths, the main one of which enables wheelchair access, pausing as you go to enjoy and take in the 'hide and reveal' views and ambience.

The stream in the garden is crossed by a stone bridge and wooden bridges. One wooden bridge echoes that in the original garden and their dark brown colour helps to create harmony.

The large rock arrangements are the Sacred Mountains, a Crane the symbol of longevity and, a Turtle. The Japanese legend of paradise was of beautiful islands on the back of giant turtles. people who had achieved eternal grace were carried to paradise by Japanese cranes. Notice that the rock arrangements characteristically use three, five and seven rocks.

Lanterns: In Japan stone lanterns are found at shrines and were incorporated into private gardens by Team Masters in the 16th century. The lanterns have five parts which relate to earth, water, fire, wind and sky from the ground upwards. these are principle elements of Buddhist cosmology making the lantern an image of the universe.

The lanterns in the garden are :

   Rustic lantern using local stones and representing our local landscape in Nidderdale.

   Snow lantern the cap of which is a gentle dome to hold the snow,

   Kasuga lantern from the Kasuga Shrine in Nara, Japan's ancient capital. Notice the deer carved in the granite which represents the many protected deer who live in the parkland around the shrine.

   Pagoda lantern with 16 sections, this lantern originates from a Stupa, which was associated with storing relics and sacred writings.

Planting: The planting includes many plants and evergreen shrubs native to Japan. The evergreens are pruned regularly to create gentle domed shapes and maintain a balanced view.

The flowering plants are chosen to illustrate nature's changes through the seasons;

Winter

The three 'friends of winter', bamboo, pine and Japanese apricot.

Spring

Camellia and azalea flowers and cherry blossom

Summer

Irises flower along the stream side

Autumn

Japanese maple leaves providing autumn colour


The Japanese Garden was achieved through a partnership with Friends of Valley Gardens, Harrogate Borough Council and with the Japanese Garden Society.

Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, North Yorkshire County Council, Harrogate Flower Club, Co-op, ASDA and Waitrose.

Grove Academy and Horticap students gave their time to help with the gardening.

The eastern entrance stone

Shijima no niwa

Garden of Serenity

Opened by the Japanese Ambassador
October 2018

Name: Shijima no niwa - The Garden of Serenity Location (specific park it is located within): Valley Gardens City: Harrogate Fees: no Designer: Japanese Garden Society Date of Creation: 2018 Garden Website: Not listed Parking Coordinates: Not Listed

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