Restoration of the Japanese Garden
This project is led by Ann Beeby and Liz Chidlow.
The project is supported by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund.
If you would like to follow the progress of this project, please visit Ann’s Project Blog.
Please click here to download a copy of the Project’s Newsletter.
Where are we Now?
The new Japanese Garden is now open. Please click here to view a video of the opening ceremony that was created as a promotion by Nissan, one of the sponsors of the opening. The project runs through to 2019. An important part of this project is the Community involvement so that young people and our visitors can learn about the heritage of the garden and increase their understanding of Japanese culture. This is being achieved by taking part in the creation of the garden, an information board and publicity, and through activities and events both in and related to the garden.
The final period is one of evaluation of the project and report writing, not until all this is completed to the satisfaction of Heritage Lottery Fund will we receive the final 10% of the grant.
Harrogate Borough Council has been very supportive throughout, and are supporting the final 10% of the finance so that we can continue to final completion.
Thanks to Kingsley Allison for this photo of the Garden.
FOVG Community Involvement:
Harrogate High School GCSE Art Module on Japanese Art: On 19th June 2017, FOVG sponsored a Chinese Brush Painting Workshop for the Harrogate High School Art Department. Japanese gardens evolved in their design from Chinese landscape painting. Below are images of some of the art work produced. The teacher is Anne Allan. The students responded well to the workshop and FOVG are supplying them some brushes and paper as part of the project so they can continue to practice these new skills.
Art Class Students and Brushes Used
Teacher, Anne Allan
Preliminary and Final Piece with Camellias and Butterflies
Bamboo
Graham Hardman, the designer of the Japanese Garden in Valley Gardens, gives a presentation on garden design to the GCSE art students, with particular emphasis on Japanese Garden layout.
Grove Academy Horticulture Students and Staff Help Prepare the Japanese Garden: Early this year, from February to early April, when students from Grove Academy were doing their level 1 and 2 NVQ horticulture, they came into the Garden with Grove Academy staff to help prune and remove plants, including a huge clump of bamboo, which were in the way of a new path. 
In the Grove Academy allotment preparing the hostas
Help from Horticap: Horticap students helped out for two days during January and February when we were preparing the site.
Japanese Garden Society Team Work on the Water Course and Create Rock Arrangements During May and June
Progress on Site: Below are photos of the Japanese Garden and stream/pond area while under construction. To see additional photos, please visit Ann’s Blog or our dedicated Instagram page for this project by clicking this link: 
_Instagram
Watercourse Under Construction
Liz Chidlow discusses the plans for the watercourse with
the contractor
Paths and Bridges Under Construction
Johnny Clasper Working on the Weir and his Beautiful “Stream” 
