The Japanese have long had a fascination with English gardens. For a country where few properties have enough space for a private garden, many people indulge their passion by visiting one of the many gardens and parks laid out in what is considered to be the English style. 

Although, like many of the so-called British pubs here, the attempts to recreate a little bit of England, don’t always work, I was very impressed by the Barakura English Garden near Chino in Nagano Prefecture. Co-designed by horticulturalist Kay Yamada who has won medals for her garden designs at the Chelsea Flower Show, Barakura was opened in 1990. Under the care of Head Gardener Andy Fisher, originally from Cumbria, there really is an authentic English atmosphere. 

Even more so as when I first went this weekend a background of light rain created the perfect setting for the autumn festival with displays of vegetables not normally seen in Japan.

 

But they were not only on display as on the lunch-time menu was butter-nut squash soup and a Cornish pasty as well as a selection of home made cakes and desserts. 

And after that lot time for a rest in the garden

 

 This weekend was even more special with the Royal Marines Concert Band playing a series of sets of mainly British patriotic music as part of this year’s celebrations of Her Majesty’s 90^th birthday with well-known music from the shows such as ‘Oliver’ and TV theme tunes ‘Black Beauty’ and ‘Sailing’. The latter was not the only nautical number as they also played some well known sea shanties. The finale on the last day of course included Vaughan Williams’ Sea Songs; a rousing ‘Rule Britannia’ and ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ brought their annual ‘English country gardens’ visit to Japan to a close.