Le Jardin Secret is a stunning rose garden at a private residence in Kumagaya City. According to the owner there are approximately 1200 roses and many other flowers in the garden. Each year at the end of spring and start of summer, they have a “rose festival”. During the period of the rose festival, the owner has an open garden. She has been operating the open garden for 23 years. It has an excellent reputation. This year the roses are early to bloom by all accounts.
Le Jairdin Secret
Le Jairdin Secret has been on my ‘wishlist’ for many years now, but for one reason or another, I have never made it there. Until this year. Finally! It was completely worth the wait. It is a not-so-secret secret garden! Reinforced by the dozens of people that were there on a Thursday afternoon. There is parking for about 15 cars, yet people were double parked and squeezed into non parking areas! I think there was at least 30 people there when I arrived and another 20 or so came while I was there.
There are roses of every color. Moreover, they are set off beautifully by the brick front of the owner’s house. The garden reminds me greatly of Takinoiri rose garden, but on a smaller scale. You can wind your way through the garden on a series of paved paths, reminiscent of a maze! There are tunnels and gazebos in the garden. As well as a variety of garden seats.
The reason they have so many seats is that before the pandemic you got a drink upon paying your entry fee and you could sip it among the roses. Unfortunately though, due to the pandemic they are not providing any drinks. They say on their Instagram that you are welcome to bring your own drinks.
Their is a shop in the garden where you can buy seeds, plants and all sorts of garden ornaments. They also have dry flower / wreath workshops. You can see the dry flowers and wreaths in picturesque garden shed pictured above! Please note that children younger than school aged children aren’t allowed in the garden. Nor are pets. Also, there is no toilet.
Information
Event: Rose Festival (i.e. an open garden) at Le Jairdin Secret ル・ジャルダン・サクレローズフェスティバル
Date: From May 10th to June 5th May 31st 2023. Closed earlier than scheduled as the roses were finished.
Time: from 10 am to 5 pm. Please arrive before 4 pm.
Cost: 1000 yen
Venue: Le Jairdin Secret, 2409-1 Oshikiri, Kumagaya, Saitama 360-0111. View on Google Maps.
Access
I honestly thought Google was leading me amiss when I had to turn down a narrow country road with nothing in site, but just when I thought about turning around – I saw it! It is at the end of a dead end road with lush forest to the east. The garden is only about an 8 minute drive from the 1000 cherry blossoms of Oegawa, the Oegawa Canola and the Konan Wisteria. Pity they all bloom at different times!
Like each of the aforementioned, its quite difficult to get to the garden by public transport, but not impossible. Its probably easier than the other three, because its closer to a bus stop. The Konan Byoin Mae bus stop is about a ten minute walk away. You can get a bus from Kumagaya Station bound for Saitama Cardiovascular and Respiratory Center and alight at Konan Byoin Mae.
it really does looks like a beautiful little secret garden! But – secret no longer!