A series of 20 tranquil seating areas invite visitors on a spiritual journey through this calming Derbyshire garden
When tragedy struck, Alan Clements found solace in meditation, and by creating areas of calm, peace and beauty at the Cascades, he encourages visitors to find their own spiritual refreshment. “In 1992, my first wife miscarried our baby daughter and died shortly afterwards of cancer, and I was devastated. I travelled to see the Dalai Lama to ask him what life was all about. Over a cup of tea in his living room, he explained the best way to experience life was to be happy and help others, and gain peace of mind through meditation.
“He taught me how to meditate and the concept of Buddha nature, and I took long trips to China and Japan. I found Zen meditation so helpful that I wanted to create my own special space in which to meditate.”
When he first saw the Cascades, in 1996, he had just returned from visiting the Zen gardens of Kyoto and the sub-temple of Daisen-in with its series of connected gardens telling the story of life, set on rocky hillsides with waterfalls, pools and gravel gardens.
“I immediately saw beyond the dilapidated mill house, ruined corn mill and four-acre wasteland of the steep-sided, 19th-century quarry, filled with hogweed and nettles. Instead, I focused on the grand 200-year-old yews and copper beeches, and the tranquil sound of running water from waterfalls and the former mill race that permeated the space.
“As the world becomes more complex and demanding, people are increasingly looking to their gardens for sanctuary and peace of mind. So I decided to create a garden at one with nature, set along a series of paths with tranquil seating areas, on many levels, with each bench immersed among different styles of planting.”
The first seat, situated in the Water Garden, by the old mill pond, is surrounded by rustling reeds and Iris pseudacorus. From here, the mill race extends throughout the length of the two-acre gardens. The steep steps leading down from the corn mill act as an overflow in the wetter months, delivering cascades of water to the stream below. At times, the cliffs are dry and mossy, and then filled with gushing waterfalls in full flow.
