fbdYeWg Y`beffdYUegdY ΩeJa pan eseGarde n€¦ · L S Grant; Lennox Hannay Trust; Fine Art...

‘e most important Japanese garden in theWesternWorld’Professor Jijo Suzuki18th Hereditary Head of the

Soami School of Imperial Design, Japan, 1925

National Library of Scotland, Acc: 5058

www.cowdengarden.com

A FUNDRAISING APPEAL TO RESCUE LOST TREASURE

ΩeJapaneseGardencowden, clackmannanshire

scotland

Charity reference: sc045060 / © Sara Stewart www.cowdengarden.com page

At the turn of the 20th century, the Scottish adventurer Ella Christie returnedhome from a trip to the Orient inspired to build a Japanese garden. As might be expected from the first Western woman to meet the Dalai Lama, Christie’sapproach to devel oping the garden was trailblazing. She chose a female designer–the gifted Taki Handa–to create the seven acre site in the grounds of Cowden Castle, thirty miles north west of Edinburgh. In doing so, e Japanese Garden at Cowden became the first and only garden of its size and scale to be designed by a woman. It remains a unique and utterly authentic bridge between Scottishand Japanese culture.

Sadly vandalised in the 1960s, the garden is now being brought back to life by a team of experts led by the renowned Japanese architect and garden designerProfessor Masao Fukuhara from Osaka University of Arts.

To enable completion of the works, the trustees of the Cowden Castle Japan eseGarden charity are seeking financial support. Funds raised will be used exclu-sively to complete the transformation of Ella Christie and Taki Handa’s remark-able legacy into a garden that serves a range of educational and palliative needs.

ΩeJapanese Garden

West Island and two bridges,1955

Shãh-Rak-Uen‘In a sheltered foothold of a grassy range of hills,

that stretch from sunrise to sunset, lies the gardens of my dreams. As its background softly rounded

hills breathe peace, after the fierce volcanic agenciesthat upraised them, and long aeons of time have

moulded their forms into the undulating lines thatencircle the surroundings of Shãh-rak-uen,

the place of pleasure and delight’.

A long look at life by two VictoriansElla Christie & Alice Stewart


Supporters

Restoration to date has been made possible by many generous benefactors. Sponsorshipfrom Historic Scotland and John Swire and Sons enabled the Trustees to employ consultantsto produce the application for the Heritage Lottery Fund Grant and also the ConservationManagement Plan. Other grants/donations awarded to Cowden to date include: LinksBetween Activities Developing the Rural Economy (£79,400); e Japan World ExpositionCommemorative Fund Project; e Mushroom Trust; Finnis Scott; Baillie Gifford; John L S Grant; Lennox Hannay Trust; Fine Art Commissions Ltd; Ellis Campbell Group; Nicky Philipps Ltd; and many equally generous private individuals. Several applications arestill outstanding. In addition, invaluable consultancy has been provided by Mark Gibson.

We are delighted to be collaborating officially with e Royal Botanic Gardens in Japanand to have endorsement from e Ambassador of Japan, e Consul General of Japan,and Tony Kirkham, Head of the Arboretum, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew.

‘e Japanese Garden is a unique, international attraction in Clackmannanshire,I wholeheartedly support its development.’Luke Graham, MP Ochil and South Perthshire

‘e restoration of the Japanese Garden is a unique project that showcases the diverse range of planting and styles within a ‘Scottish’ Japanese garden. A ground breaking projectattracting worldwide interest and of immense benefit to local history and tourism.’Cllr Les Sharp, Leader of Clackmannanshire Council

‘I can confirm that the Council most certainly supports the Cowden restoration project. We are delighted that the proposal came to fruition aer many years. We granted planningconsent in July 2015, fully recognising the importance of the Japanese Garden, not just locallybut also nationally. As part of the planning application process, we received specific supportfrom Historic Scotland and the two local Community Councils.’Julie Hamilton, Development and Services Manager, Clackmannan Council

‘I have been delighted to see the excellent progress in the redevelopment of the JapaneseGarden at Cowden. I think this is a wonderful project and I fully support it: it will be a great addition to our local community. I have no doubt it will attract visitors to the area from far and wide, and I know that our school children here at Dollar will really enjoy the opportunity to visit regularly.’David Knapman, Rector, Dollar Academy (1,215 pupils)

‘e Trustees and Friends of Dollar Museum would like to express their support for therestoration and development of the Japanese Garden at Cowden. e Museum has always taken a great interest in Miss Christie and the Garden, having done much researchand put on several related and very popular exhibi tions. e work so far carried out on the Garden is most impressive and its full development, so that it can be appreciated by the public, is very important. I am constantly asked by visitors to Dollar Museum who see ourcurrent display on the Garden: “When will it be open? When can we go and see it?”’Janet Carolan, Chair of Dollar Museum Trust & Hon Curator, Dollar Museum

page www.cowdengarden.com Charity reference: sc045060 / © Sara Stewart

e Japanese Garden at Cowden Castle was established for charitable purposes only. e constitution states its purposes as the advancement of the arts, heritage, culture or science;and the advance ment of environmental protection or improvement. e organisation wasformed on 20th August 2014 and is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO).ere are currently three trustees: David Houldsworth (former partner in Brodies LLP), Sara Stewart (founder of Fine Art Commissions, London), and Sir Robert Stewart (formerChairman of Scottish Landowners’ Federation and East of Scotland Colleges of Agriculture).Sara is an unpaid executive overseeing the restoration and transfer of a former private garden to an organisation able to welcome several thousand local and international visitors per annum.Once the restoration is complete the trustees will employ a seasonal manager.

A full market appraisal was commissioned by Historic Scotland and provided by Jura Consult-ants. e report identified visitor numbers by comparing attractions and competition and provided a financial appraisal to ensure that the garden can be sustained as a viable operationand well-maintained site. Cowden will be an important additional visitor attraction in CentralScotland, attracting both local people and visitors from much further afield, significantly add -ing to the economy of the area. ere is also considerable opportunity to deliver outreach,learning and training benefits to inspire and inform visitors.

Market populations Local market: 280,000 within a 30 minute drive of the garden. Day trip market: 3,000,000 within a 90 minute drive of the garden. Education market: 24 local schools.

Local visitors Attraction Car journey Visitors (2016)

Castle Campbell 5 minutes 12,695

Stirling Castle 25 minutes 458,000

Callender Wood 30 minutes 110,500

Bannockburn Heritage Centre 30 minutes 54,203

Proximity to Castle Campbell suggests there is a market in the area to take advantage of.By car Cowden is 45 minutes from Edinburgh and an hour from Glasgow.

A Desirable Charity

E X T R A C T F R O M H I S T O R I C S C O T L A N D ’ S P R E S S R E L E A S E

Unique Japanese-style garden atCowden recognised for its national importance

Elizabeth McCrone, Head of Listing and Designed Landscapes, said:

‘e story of Cowden is a fascinating one.It was once described as the best Japanese garden in the Western world and was visited by Queen Mary in the late 1930s. 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 con servation and archaeo-logical value. It came into being due to the determination of a remark able woman, Ella Christie who named it Shāh-rak-uen, “a place of pleasure and delight.” I amdelighted that her garden has recognition through its inclusion in the Inventory.’

Charity reference: sc045060 / © Sara Stewart www.cowdengarden.com page page www.cowdengarden.com Charity reference: sc045060 / © Sara Stewartv

Historic Environment Scotland included Cowden in their Inventory of Designed Landscapes with the classifications: Work of Art and Historical Significance: ‘Outstanding’. Nature Conservation, Archaeological, Architectural: ‘High’

The Consul General of Japan has visited the garden three times with a view to gaining funding from Japan.

Royal Botanic Gardens, EdinburghDavid Knott visited the site and recommended Kate White for the position of Head Gardener at Cowden. RBG support is particularly strong and they wish to be actively involved as well as donating Japanese plants.

Royal Botanic Gardens Kew GardensSara Stewart met Tony Kirkham, Head of Arboretum, Gardens & Horticulture Services. Support was forthcoming for the continued restoration and for future relationships.

Scotland’s Garden and Landscape HeritageThe Vice Chair of SGLH is supportive of the project.

Cowden is a member of Discover Scottish Gardens.

Scotland’s Garden Scheme–Members of two branches have booked guided tours.

Magnus Linklater, former Chairman Scottish Arts Council and Sir George Reid,former Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, are patrons of Cowden.

Media CoverageThe press coverage of the garden and its potential restoration has been favourableand has significantly raised the profile of the garden locally and abroad.BBC Reporting Scotland, twiceNikkei, Japan’s most prolific economic newspaperThe Garden–RHS JournalThe TimesSociety of Antiquaries of ScotlandCountry LifeStirling Observer

Stakeholders

The Slopes of Mount Fuji, Japanese Garden, Cowden, 1930

‘Taki Handawas the first and only woman to have designed a Japanese garden of this nature. e fact that she was appointed in1908 is of significant interest worldwide.’

Professor Fukuhara, 2014


a B c

d e f

g h I

Sponsorship

We are urgently seeking donations in order to matchthe Government grants awarded to date, and to install theremain ing structures.To contribute to this exciting projectplease visit our website at www.cowdengarden.com or contact Sara Stewart on 020 7839 2792 or by email to [email protected]

Name a structureName a structure aer a company, or in memory of some-one. e donation figure includes immediate landscapingand access. e donors who sponsor a structure will belisted (if desired) on a commissioned plaque in the newPavilion positioned at the entrance to the garden.

Open May to OctoberCowden will be open between May and October for ourvisitors to see the fabulous rhododendrons, azaleas andcherry trees in the spring and the maples and acers in theautumn. ere is a new Woodland Walk to enjoy. Onceconstructed, the Pavilion will house a permanent display of Miss Christie’s Far Eastern wardrobe and treasures, a photographic history of the garden and film of the various stages of restoration.

For hiree Pavilion and garden will be available to rent for weddings and corporate events.

Private tours for charitiesLastly, and of equal importance, we aim to encourage private tours for charities such as Maggie’s Centres andMind. We would like patients and their families to benefitfrom the pleasure the garden has given the Stewart familyfor over 100 years.

Help us to rescuethis historical gem


Structures to be built

a Education Pavilion £150,000

b New Entrance to Garden £48,000

c Island Tea House £28,000

d Arched Bridge £25,000

e Summer House £25,000

f Zigzag Bridge £20,000

g Welcome Gate each £24,000

h Revolving Sunshade £18,000

I Japanese benches (5) each £5,000

Structures To be sp onsored

Dry Garden £80,000

West Islands £50,000

Central Island £50,000

Five Antique Stone Lanterns each £10,000

Tree named aer donor £2,000

Lifetime MembershipDonor listed on Lifetime plaque,free access on all public open days, and invitations to Trustee hosted events: £10,000

List of Friends of CowdenName on commissioned plaque in Garden Pavilion: £1,000In book on history and restoration of the garden: £500In Friends of Cowden fundraising book: £250

Charity reference: sc045060 / © Sara Stewart www.cowdengarden.com page page www.cowdengarden.com Charity reference: sc045060 / © Sara Stewart

ΩeGardeners from 1908 to today Progress

West Islands 2012 2017

Dry Garden 2012 2017

East Burn 2012 2017

Taki Handa Shinzaburo Matsuo Professor Masao Fukuhara

Ai Hishii Junya Matukawa Kate White

VolunteersVolunteers have proved invaluable to the restoration. Kate,our head gardener, has benefitted from many hours of localhelp. The President of the Japan Garden Society visited tohelp the team from Japan in May 2016. Since commencingthe restoration over forty Japanese student volunteers haveworked at Cowden. More recently, the stone work on the eastof the pond was restored by the Drystone Walling Association.In February TCV (The Conservation Volunteers) beganrestoring the Sir Robert Stewart Walk to create additionalaccess to the east of the garden.

left Volunteers at work, 2017

History

Cowden Castle, 1920

Ella Christie,1909


Isabella ‘Ella’ Christie of Cowden (1861 –1949) was a formidable character whose achievements includedbeing the first western lady to travel from Samar kand to Khiva and to meet the Dalai Lama. Between 1904–05she travelled to India and then on to Kashmir, Tibet,Malaya, and Borneo.

Although at times travelling in hostile conditions, her trunks contained dresses for parties (including a banquet given by the Maharaja of Kashmir and dinnerwith Lord Kitchener then Commander in Chief, India).She camped in the snow at Chorbat Pass, sailed in a cargoship full of pigs, travelled by pack horse and cart in theKashmir wilderness, and trekked by foot for 60 miles in the Desoi Mountains.

Aged 50, while waiting for the train at Dollar station, Ella was asked if she were travelling to Edin burgh; her short reply, ‘No, Samarkand’, perfectly encapsu latesthe fearless spinster who was fluent in four languages including Finnish.

On returning from Uzbeki stan, where she travelled by train, steamer and droshky, she was in the first cohortof women to be elected Fellows of e Royal Geographi-cal Society. During a trip to China, Korea (for her maid to be treated for a head injury in an American hospital),and Japan between 1907 and 1908, Ella became inspiredto create a Japan ese garden at Cowden and to employ Taki Handa to fulfil her dream.

1861Ella Christie born in Midlothian.

1865John and Alison Christie moved to Cowden Castle. ey settled in Clackmannanshire as the soil and climate is perfect for growing trees. John Christie was a keen arborist.

1904Ella le for India, Tibet and Malay aer the death of her father.

1906–7Ella embarked on a tour of China, Hong Kong, Russia andJapan. At Yaami’s Hotel in Kyoto, she met sisters, Ella and Florence du Cane authors of e Flowers and Gardens of Japanand became inspired to create her own Japanese garden.

1908On her return to Cowden, Ella had the burn dammed in a seven acre hollow, creating a loch.Taki Handa, originallyfrom the Royal School of Garden Design at Nagoya but then studying at Studley College in England, was employed for two months helping to create Shãh-Rak-Uen, ‘the place of pleasure and delight’.

1908–1925As the garden matured, Professor Suzuki, 18th HereditaryHead of the Soami School of Imperial Garden Design, cameregularly to prune the many imported shrubs and trees. He declared the garden ‘e best garden in the Western World’.is is widely thought to be due to the garden being designedand maintained by Japanese gardeners.

1926Ella’s great nephew, Robert Christie Stewart, born at Arndean, two miles south of Cowden.

1925Shinzaburo Matsuo, who had lost his family in an earth quake, came to Scotland and worked in the garden until he died in1937;he is buried in Muckhart churchyard. In his multi colour -ed Kimono, wide-pleated trousers, golf stockings, white spatsand velour hat, he was oen mistaken for the Japanese Emperor.at Miss Christie went to such pains to obtain the right skilland knowledge from Japan, and was able to obtain such faith-ful service from those strangers in a foreign land were the reasons for the subsequent success of the enterprise.

from top, all pictures at cowden cowdenRobert & Grizel Stewart,1930; Florence Stewart,1930; the Slopesof Mount Fuji, the garden,1909; the garden, c.1915.



1908–1949Many people visited the garden, among them Andrew Lang, writer and historian; novelist Annie S. Swan; George Blake; and HM Queen Mary. e garden was opened regularly for Scotland’s Garden Scheme (Alice Stewart, Ella’s sister, was a founder of the scheme).

1949Miss Christie of Cowden died of leukaemia aged 87. e Garden was put in trust for her great nephew, Robert Christie Stewart, and maintained by estate workers.

1952Cowden Castle demolished.

1955e Japanese Garden was opened to the public for the lasttime on May 28th in aid of the Episcopal Church St James’s in Dollar. Robert Stewart continued to give private tours andectures to garden history groups.

1950s/60sIntensive tree planting at east end of garden (birches, oaks, and sequoias).

1963Teenagers broke into the garden and burnt the teahouses,bridges and knocked the lanterns and shrines into the water during a night of mayhem. They were witnessed fleeing.

top Ella Christie and Andrew Lang, Cowden, c.1910centre Queen Mary at Cowden,1937, with Robert Stewart in foreground and Ella Christie on right.below Ella Christie, Japanese Garden, Cowden, 1934

28th May, 1955Photographs taken at the last public opening of the Japanese Gardens,



from topSir Robert Stewart,1986. Sara Stewart, Chairwoman of Cowden SCIO,with Mr Daisuke Matsunaga, Consul General of Japan, 2017.Nicky Philipps painting at Cowden to raise funds for the appeal. e landscape was later sold for £23,000.Planting plan.

2008e garden was handed over to Miss Christie’s great, great niece (Robert’s daughter), Sara Stewart.

2010Taki Handa’s granddaughter visited the garden.

2011Two new bridges commissioned by Robert Stewart.

2012e pond was dredged in order to clear the weeds and find the missing pieces from the lanterns. Inclusion in the HistoricEnvironment Scotland Inventory of Designed Landscapes.

2013Professor Masao Fukuhara, from Osaka University of Arts, Japan,was appointed to restore the garden.

2014Start of restoration. Formation of the charity e Japanese Garden at Cowden Castle, Charity No: SC045060.

Gift AidJapanese Garden, Cowden, clackmannanshireCharity Ref: SC045060

Please treat the enclosed gi of £ as a Gi Aid donation.

I confirm that I have paid, or will pay, an amount of Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax for each tax year that is at least equal to the amount of tax that all the charities and CASCs that I donate to will reclaim on my gis for that tax year. I understand the charity will reclaim 25p of tax on every £1 given.

Signature: date:

Please make cheques payable to: Cowden Castle SCIO and post this form to: Sara Stewart, Mains of Arndean, Dollar, Clackmannanshire, FK14 7NT, or scan it to:[email protected]

Full Name

Title

Postal Name

Address

City

County Post Code

Country

ONLINE BANKINGAccount Name: Cowden Castle SCIO Bank: Clydesdale Bank Sort Code: 82 62 08Account No: 10056826 IBAN: GB 61 CLYD 826208 10056826 SWIFT: CLYD GB 25

CHEQUE donation Cheques may be posted to: Cowden Castle SCIO, Mains of Arndean, Dollar, Clackmannanshire fk14 7NT

online direct donation You can donate via PayPal at: www.cowdengarden.com

Please ensure we know that you have donated so we can thank you by emailing [email protected] or pay via PAYPAL


A91

A91

A91

A91

M 9

M 8

M 9

M 90

A 90

A92

A92

M 80

M27

M74

M73

A9

A823

Dollar

f i r t h o ff o r t hstirling

Gleneagles

glasgow

Edinburgh

Muckhart

Location

location Post code FK14 7PJSignposted off the A91, half a mile west of Muckhart and two miles east of Dollar.

journey time by car Edinburgh: 45 minutes; Glasgow: 60 minutes; Stirling: 20 minutes; Gleneagles: 20 minutes.

further information For information one Japanese Garden at Cowdenplease email: [email protected] or telephone Sara Stewart on: 020 7839 2792Charity No. SC045060

acknowlegements Ian CampbellJanet CarolanDollar Academy Archive Dollar MuseumHistoric ScotlandJura ConsultantsLucy Stewart

www.cowdengarden.com

published by sara stewart, londoncopyright © 2018 sara stewartall rights reserved no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording,or otherwise imitated without the prior written permission of sara stewart

st andrews

ΩeJapaneseGardenatCowden

fbdYeWg Y`beffdYUegdY ΩeJa pan eseGarde n€¦ · L S Grant; Lennox Hannay Trust; Fine Art...

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