Turning Japanese

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Help restore Hammersmith Park's historic garden

The Japanese Garden in Hammersmith Park is set to be transformed to its former glory by green-fingered enthusiasts from Japan and a group of local volunteers. 

Seven high-profile visitors will be making the 6,000 mile trip from Japan to the Park at the end of August to take part in the clean-up of the Garden, which is currently overgrown and has a stagnant pond.  

Members of the public are also being invited to get involved.  

The event has been organised by the council and the Japan Society to commemorate the 1910 Japan British Exhibition of 1910 that took place at WhiteCity.

The exhibition included the creation of a special Japanese garden at HammersmithPark, and, since authenticity was regarded as of the utmost importance, the garden was constructed with trees, shrubs, wooden buildings, bridges, and even stones brought in from Japan. 

Those attending from Japan include Shintaro Sakamoto from the International Landscape Research Centre, Kazuo Mitsuhashi from the Japanese Garden Association, Yoshihiko Uchida of the Landscape Network Inc and Professor Eiko Ooide from Mejiro University.  

It is hoped that the Garden will be fully restored by 2010, to coincide with the centenary of the Japan British Exhibition.

30 July 2008