An invitation from The Japanese Garden Society

Date
Sunday 25 May 2025

Time
2.00pm

Venue
The Japanese Garden
The Garden House
Cottered
Hertfordshire SG9 9QB

Booking Details
£10 per head - Registration Essential
Members of The Japan Society and their guests only

This event is organised by The Japanese Garden Society (JGS). Please use the link below to register. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about the visit. If you do not receive the email or have any issues please contact sesec@jgs.org.uk.

Please note that:

• Attendees will need to arrange their own transport to the garden. While public transport options may be limited, Cottered Village Hall offers a large car park which attendees are welcome to use;
  
  
• Attendees are also welcome to bring a packed lunch and join JGS members in the Hall between 12.30pm and 1.45pm when tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided;
  
  
• The garden owner has requested that no dogs be brought to the event.

The Japanese Garden Society's (JGS) South East Region would like to invite members of The Japan Society to join them in a visit to an early 20th century Japanese garden at Cottered in Hertfordshire on Sunday 25 May from 2.00pm. This is a celebrated private garden that the owners generously open to various groups on an occasional basis.

This garden was started by the then owner Herbert Goode, following a visit to Japan in 1905 and completed by Seyomon Kusumoto, and is considered one of the best in the UK. Some history on the garden, written in 1999, can be read here. The current owners have devoted a great deal of time to the restoration and maintenance of the garden and it is really worth a visit. The garden has an Instagram account where photos across the seasons are posted.

In addition, one of the UK's top bonsai tutors and writers, Harry Harrington, has agreed to bring a selection of his best bonsai trees to display in the garden for visitors to enjoy. These will be quite stunning specimens rarely seen in public, brought from his own bonsai garden. He will also have three of his apprentices, a table maker and scroll writer present on the day to help with set-up and to answer questions. Harry has a website, YouTube channel and Instagram account,where his bonsai can be previewed.

General information about The Japanese Garden Society and our activities can be found on our website.

We look forward to seeing you on 25 May!