In the previous JCAP7 News issued in February 2015, Hokkaido Garden Show 2015 Daisetsu (HGS Daisetsu) was introduced as an advanced information and HGS Daisetsu is now open since May 30. JCAP7 staff have organized a group tour for information in late June and visited Kamuimintara, Daisetsu Forest Garden and Ueno Farm.

June end is the season of new green leaves, however at the high mountain of Kamuimintara it was a bit early to appreciate the alpine flora and snow patches were remaining from place to place. In Daisetsu Forest Garden, early summer flowers started to bloom, and the theme garden named “Journey of Life” and the other competition gardens were beautifully finished and good for our appreciation. The main feature, Dress Garden Kante is now decorated by elegant and dressy flowers. It should be NOW, the best time to see HGS Daisetsu.

The last garden we visited was Ueno Farm. It has an existing garden of 6.600m2, and it was doubled at this opportunity of HGS Daisetsu and established “A Garden of Gnome”. Ueno Farm was designed by Ms. Sayuki Ueno and based on English-style garden of hardy perennials that have been rearranged to suit the Hokkaido climate. Moreover, it was a big surprise that this large 13,200m2 garden is maintained only by two ladies, small Sayuki san and her mother.

Flowers were blooming to the extent of hem of Dress Garden Kante and it should be more beautiful and gorgeous as of now. The person on the stand is Mr. Takano, Director of HGS Daisetsu.

JCAP7 staff with Ms Sayuki Ueno in front of “A Garden of Gnome”. This large garden is maintained by only two ladies. Big surprise!

You are cordially invited to visit this elegant and pretty flower garden of Hokkaido. This HGS Daisetsu is open until October 4. At the time in Hokkaido, the autumn color of leaves will start and various fruits and berries also grow. Sharp contrast of vivid flowers and cool color of leaves will give you a feeling of brisk autumn days.

The following is a message from Mr. Fumiaki Takano, Chairperson of Takano Landscape Planning and Honorable Director of HGS Daisetsu and he is talking about history and features of HGS Daisetsu.

• 1.History

  The garden movement in Hokkaido started from the grass-roots activities so called “Garden Island Hokkaido” in 2004 and approximately 100 gardens were on the information network.

  Among these hundred gardens, seven gardens were coordinated to establish “Garden Road” to open up a tourism market to create new features for Hokkaido sightseeing. As a result, number of tourists to Hokkaido has increased from 350,000 to 550,000 in 3 years. By this success, it was convinced that the gardens can be one of the main features of Hokkaido tourism and in 2012 the first Hokkaido Garden Show was held at Tokachi Millennium Garden. This HGS Tokachi collected 200,000 tourists and took high appreciation from various sectors. As a policy to hold this HGS, we have in-depth philosophy to move from one place to another so that new gardens can be created in new place and love to the garden will expand all over the Hokkaido.

• 2.Hokkaido Garden Show 2015 Daisetsu

  HGS Daisetsu is now held in Kamikawa Town by maintaining the above philosophy, and “Daisetsu Forest Garden” in Kamikawa, alpine floras of Kamuimintara in Daisetsu Mt. National Park and Ueno Farm near Asahikawa City are the three main gardens of this HGS Daisetsu.

  Daisetsu Mt. National Park

  Alpine flora garden to decorate Daisetsu Mt. have been called as “Kamuimintara” by Ainu, which means the garden where the gods play around. We hope you will enjoy not only the garden designed by the nature, but also feel the nature and garden with respectful mind by stepping down from the desire to control the nature. Please enjoy mountain trekking and blooming alpine floras under the guide tour by choosing an appropriate course to fit for your own physical strength.
  
  

  

  Alpine flora will change its color towards the autumn and you can see the first autumn leaves of Japan in Daisetsu Mt. Color change is not limited to the trees, but also to the leaves of ground coves like “Geum pentapetaluma” to make whole ground like a red carpet.

  Daisetsu Forest Garden in Kamikawa Town

  This garden is a main venue of HGS Daisetsu. This event is a big challenge for a small town like Kamikawa with only 4,000 population. Daisetsu Forest Garden has been raised and matured for 3 years by Kamikawa Town after implementing three designer’s gardens and six competition gardens selected from over 100 applicants. We are sure that you are able to enjoy different touch of garden creation.

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    Dress Garden Kante is one of the most remarkable designer’s gardens to represent this HGS Daisetsu. On the opening days, the Governor of Hokkaido was standing on the Kante and looking at the gorgeous views of Daisetsu Mt. with particular mind

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    Xylophone in the forest, the first standing display in this HGS Daisetsu. Prelude composed by Johann Sebastian Bach is played by this original wooden ball, when it keeps on rolling and hitting to the xylophone.

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    Mr. Lim In Chong from Malaysia is a world famous gardener created a garden, “Journey of Life”. Round tour will give you a image of life cycle by the change of colors and shapes of flowers and grasses.

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    Mirror balloons are floating in the forest, which represents the Festa Day. This is one of the six final competition gardens among 100 applications and also only one selected from overseas.

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    Undulated table extending in the forest named as “Festa Table in the Forest”. The concept is to represent the festa by planting eatable plants around the table and to enjoy the banquet together with small animals

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    You can enjoy thousands of sunflowers blooming all over the hill and feel Hokkaido together with dynamic view of Daisetsu Mt. But, you must visit until mid-August!

  Ueno Farm

  Ueno Farm was originally a paddy field and the garden started by Ueno family to entertain the customers who came to buy the rice. Ms. Sayuki Ueno studied gardening in England and has been establishing this Ueno Farm by the hands of her family members. Now it represents one of the best gardens in Hokkaido.
  
  

  Mirror border garden is representing English style garden of Ueno Farm. Healthy flowers and grasses raised by the lovely care of Ueno Family give you beautiful impression of seasonal changes of Hokkaido.

• 3.Features of Hokkaido Garden Show

  Enjoy with Slow Mind

  On the ordinary garden shows, most of displays are destroyed as scrap and the life is at most only for a few weeks, which is defined as “Consuming Garden Show”. Whereas, HGS has been held for more than 4 months from Spring, Summer to Autumn and seasonal variance can be enjoyed and plus we have a policy to retain the invitation gardens to the next generation so that garden culture will take root in the place.

  Garden Show only possible in Hokkaido

  On the canvas of dynamic views of Daisetsu Mt., landscaping and gardening are painted with beautifully blended touch, which is only possible and unique in Hokkaido.

  Message from our Garden Culture

  Garden is not only for seeing, but various events are programmed such as tea parties, concerts, playing games and etc. to enjoy real life on the garden. Also we are organizing special lectures in Garden Academy by inviting world-known gardeners such as Pascal Garbe (France), Patrick Blanc (France) and Fergus Garrett (UK). By this, we plan to send a message about the Hokkaido Garden Culture to the world.

  Garden Show for Kamikawa Town

  Many garden shows are operated and managed mainly focusing on the visitors from the outside. However, we have a concept to create this HGS Daisetsu for the citizens of Kamikawa Town and the garden be operated for a long run so that it is loved and appreciated by the citizens.

  International Assessment

  This May 2015, HGS Daisetsu was granted an award of Garden Show of the Year by International Garden Tourism Network in Tront, Canada. (http://internationalgardentourism.net/about/). This means that HGS Daisetsu was assessed as the top garden show of the year 2015.

At the end of this message, I have to say that HGS Daisetsu is held under the executive committee system which is organized by various people and parties concerned. As such, HGS Daisetsu is held without having large support from neither private sector nor government, but mainly by Kamikawa Town budget and admission fee of the visitors. We gratefully appreciate your visiting and enjoying our HGS Daisetsu at any time.

Fumiaki Takano
Honorable Director of HGS Daisetsu &
Chairperson of Takano Landscape Planning