Japanese-Style Garden Receives Acclaim

A Japanese-style garden at Cowden Castle has been recognised as being of national importance.

The garden, located in the grounds of the Clackmannshire castle, was created by early 20^th Century explorer Ella Christie. It has now been added to Historic Scotland’s register of Garden’s and Designed Landscapes.

Ms Christie was born in 1861 and is renowned for having travelled extensively across much of the Far East including Ceylon, India, Malaya, China, Borneo and Japan.

Inspired by the gardens of Kyoto in Japan, Ms Christie returned home to Cowden in 1907, and inaugurated the Japanese garden. The garden was designed and maintained by Japanese practitioners Taki Handa and Professor Jijo Suzuki.

Elizabeth McCrone of Historic Scotland said;

“It was once described as the best Japanese garden in the Western world and was visited by Queen Mary in the late 1930’s.”

She continued;

“It is of outstanding importance for its value as a work of art and its historic value, and also of high importance for its horticultural, nature conservation and archaeological value.”

Full Story

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-23970528