（４０９） Ｉ ｗｅｎｔ ｔｏ ｔｈｅ ｓｅｃｒｅｔ ｇａｒｄｅｎ
文字数 3,150文字
"The Secret Garden(秘密の花園)'' is the title of a novel written by Frances Hodgson Burnett in 1911. In the novel, a secret garden that was cherished by the protagonist's aunt during her lifetime and closed after her death plays a significant role.
The model for this secret garden is the “Great Maytham Hall Garden” in Rolvenden, Kent, England, which you can see on Wikipedia.
★Great Maytham Hall Garden★
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Great_Maytham_Hall_Garden_-_geograph.org.uk_-_228928.jpg
In Ibaraki Prefecture, where I live, there is “Nanatsudo Park(七つ洞公園)”, which has an English garden. The park was designed by British landscaper, John Mayson Whalley (1932 – 2020). It was opened in 1999 at a total construction cost of 1 billion yen as one of Japan's leading English-style gardens.
Nanatsudo Park is an authentic English garden, with plants imported from England, an irregular and random space intentionally created to draw out nature, and ruin-like structures.
As time passed since the park opened, due to lack of management, the flowers withered and died, the buildings became dilapidated, and rumors spread that it was haunted, making it a park that you should not visit.
In the hit movie "Thermae Romae(テルマエ・ロマエ)" released in 2012, Nanatsudo Park was used as a filming location for ancient Rome.
Seeing an opportunity, a project to revitalize Nanatsudo Park was launched, and volunteers began their activities. Currently, the “Secret Garden(秘密の花苑) in Nanatsudo Park'' is managed by the “Mito English Garden Club.''
The “Secret Garden'' is home to approximately 160 English roses and 50 varieties of roses developed by British horticulturists. Most of the plants brought in from England were thought to have withered, but you can still see many English-style plants in the "Secret Garden.''
Nanatsudo Park is very spacious, so this time we only visited the “Secret Garden'' where the autumn roses were blooming.
★supplement★
John Mayson Whalley (14 Sept 1932 – 11 June 2020) was an architect, urban planner, and landscape architect.
① From the parking lot, a wooden path continues along a dam.
② I’m walking down the boardwalk.
③ The secret garden has come into view. I'm getting excited.
④ I am at the entrance of the secret garden.
⑤ This is what it looks like after going into the entrance.
⑥ I am in front of some Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus).
⑦ I am in front of some celosia and pentas.
⑧ I am in front of celosia.
⑨ The secret garden has a concentric circular shape, with a sundial in the center.
⑩ I am in front of Ageratum houstonianum flowers.
⑪ I am in front of the English roses.
⑫ I am in front of Ageratum houstonianum flowers.
⑬ I am in front of Ageratum houstonianum flowers.
⑭ I am in front of the amethyst sage (Salvia leucantha) bushes.
⑮ I'm in front of the fuyo (Hibiscus mutabilis) bushes.
⑯ I am in front of the English roses.
⑰ I am standing in front of Japanese anemone flowers (Eriocapitella hupensis).
⑱ I am in front of the dahlias and salvias.
⑲ I am saying goodbye to the secret garden.
⑳ I’m heading to the parking lot.
The model for this secret garden is the “Great Maytham Hall Garden” in Rolvenden, Kent, England, which you can see on Wikipedia.
★Great Maytham Hall Garden★
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Great_Maytham_Hall_Garden_-_geograph.org.uk_-_228928.jpg
In Ibaraki Prefecture, where I live, there is “Nanatsudo Park(七つ洞公園)”, which has an English garden. The park was designed by British landscaper, John Mayson Whalley (1932 – 2020). It was opened in 1999 at a total construction cost of 1 billion yen as one of Japan's leading English-style gardens.
Nanatsudo Park is an authentic English garden, with plants imported from England, an irregular and random space intentionally created to draw out nature, and ruin-like structures.
As time passed since the park opened, due to lack of management, the flowers withered and died, the buildings became dilapidated, and rumors spread that it was haunted, making it a park that you should not visit.
In the hit movie "Thermae Romae(テルマエ・ロマエ)" released in 2012, Nanatsudo Park was used as a filming location for ancient Rome.
Seeing an opportunity, a project to revitalize Nanatsudo Park was launched, and volunteers began their activities. Currently, the “Secret Garden(秘密の花苑) in Nanatsudo Park'' is managed by the “Mito English Garden Club.''
The “Secret Garden'' is home to approximately 160 English roses and 50 varieties of roses developed by British horticulturists. Most of the plants brought in from England were thought to have withered, but you can still see many English-style plants in the "Secret Garden.''
Nanatsudo Park is very spacious, so this time we only visited the “Secret Garden'' where the autumn roses were blooming.
★supplement★
John Mayson Whalley (14 Sept 1932 – 11 June 2020) was an architect, urban planner, and landscape architect.
① From the parking lot, a wooden path continues along a dam.
② I’m walking down the boardwalk.
③ The secret garden has come into view. I'm getting excited.
④ I am at the entrance of the secret garden.
⑤ This is what it looks like after going into the entrance.
⑥ I am in front of some Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus).
⑦ I am in front of some celosia and pentas.
⑧ I am in front of celosia.
⑨ The secret garden has a concentric circular shape, with a sundial in the center.
⑩ I am in front of Ageratum houstonianum flowers.
⑪ I am in front of the English roses.
⑫ I am in front of Ageratum houstonianum flowers.
⑬ I am in front of Ageratum houstonianum flowers.
⑭ I am in front of the amethyst sage (Salvia leucantha) bushes.
⑮ I'm in front of the fuyo (Hibiscus mutabilis) bushes.
⑯ I am in front of the English roses.
⑰ I am standing in front of Japanese anemone flowers (Eriocapitella hupensis).
⑱ I am in front of the dahlias and salvias.
⑲ I am saying goodbye to the secret garden.
⑳ I’m heading to the parking lot.
