THE restoration of the Japanese garden at Cowden is moving forward.

At a meeting of Clackmannanshire Council’s Planning Committee on Thursday (2 July) approval was given for the erection of one house and detached garden annexe, with associated change of agricultural land to garden ground.

Permission was also granted to allow for the building of a garden pavilion, for the provision of new and replacement vehicle accesses and the re-establishment of Japanese garden features.

Sara Stewart, who is at the helm of the project, said: “It is fantastic news that it has been passed.

“It is fantastic news for the community because it means that we can now get on and build the two Japanese buildings in the garden.” The Japanese garden was originally established by Ella Christie of Cowden Castle in 1908.

Located on the far eastern border – a mile from Dollar Academy – it was then handed over to her great nephew Robert Stewart.

In 1963 an act of vandalism saw the teahouses and bridges burned, while the lanterns and shrines were knocked into the water, ripping the spot apart.

However when Robert’s daughter Sara took it on in 2008, she decided to embark on a project to restore it.

The garden became a charity last year to raise the necessary capital to allow restoration of the paths, islands, tea houses, bridges, ‘slopes of Fuji’, to fund apprenticeships and establish a maintenance fund.

The full cost of the project, which includes plans to build a museum, stands at £1 million.

Fundraising will help cover the costs of developments in the garden while a house – which will be used by the caretaker and located on a field south of the garden – will be paid for privately by the family.

Speaking to the Advertiser previously, Sara explained the proposals: “Although the restoration is being overseen by a Japanese team, locals including ‘Digger’ McCulloch, David Moser and Jamie Macauley are heavily involved and we will be taking on local apprentices. Once the garden is open it will get a lot of publicity and we have got Japanese gardens all over the world who are wanting to twin with it.

“I’m dealing with all the big companies, but I really want to get Clackmannanshire behind it. I really do, because if you have given money to something, you are then part of it.” The garden was once described as the ‘most important Japanese Garden in the Western world’ by Professor Jijo Suzuki, 18th hereditary head of the Soami School of Imperial Garden Design, Japan, 1925.

It was created by Taki Handa, the first and only Japanese woman to be accredited with designing a garden of that nature.

Before Ella’s death in 1949, it had visits from HM Queen Mary, historian Andrew Lang, George Blake and novelist Annie S. Swan.

The project to bring it back to its best – which is due to be completed next year – is being overseen by Professor Fukuhara, who won the Chelsea Flower show and restored the Japanese Gardens at Kew in London.

It will be a prominent feature in the county once finished and there are plans for it to be open to the public for at least 20 days of the year, depending on funding.

The emphasis is now on fundraising and continuing with the garden work.

Over the next few weeks the first of the tea houses – an azumaya – will be started.

Sara said: “The Japanese team are coming back for three weeks to continue with the garden restoration because we have managed to secure enough funding to continue with that. So, the garden restoration is all taken care of.

“It is just the buildings and the planting that we will need funds for really and construction.” She added: “If somebody donated enough to build the museum it could be called after their family, or business.” To donate: Clydesdale Bank in Dollar or via www.cowdencastle.com