Ornamental Japanese Gardens, tracing human life in 20 stages from birth to old age and eternity, strike a delightfully incongrous note in the middle of lush grasslands outside the town of Kidare. The Japanese gardener Eida, and his son Minora, were employed by Lord Wavertree, landowner and horse breeder, to lay them out between 1906-10. The journey leads the pilgram soul from a cavern in a rock, through the stages which include the Cave of Birth, the dark Tunnel of Ignorance, up the steps of the Hill of Learning, topped with a lofty pine tree, to the Parting of the Ways. One of these leads across stepping stones to the Island of Joy and Wonder and then the Engagement and Marriage bridges. These cross to the Hill of Ambition where pass dissapointments, successes and failures, in the form of difficult crossings and dead-ends, can be looked back upon. From there the Well of Wisdom is reached, where ‘the couple’ may wish for enlightment before passing over the Red Bridge of Life to the Garden of Peace and Contentment beyond.

A specially charted ship was used to bring materials from Japan, including stone lanterns, a tea house and a miniature vilage carved out of rock from Mount Fuji.

Symbolic meanings apart, the gardens have a fine collection of unusual shrubs and trees and some paticular striking mature bonsai trees.