Islamic garden planned for High Wycombe (From Bucks Free Press)

Gulshan-e-Wycombe launch Islamic garden plans

5:41pm Monday 23rd March 2009 in News By Alex Hayes

PLANS to build an Islamic garden to improve community cohesion in the heart of High Wycombe were unveiled to the public for the first time today.

A steering group, chaired by former councillor Clare Martens, was formed around nine months ago to start formulating plans for the project, which is estimated to cost between £2m-£3m.

The Gulshan-e-Wycombe committee, which is made up from a selection of current and past councillors, as well as members of the public, hopes to raise the cash to build the garden through donations.

Mrs Martins said: “We didn't want to go public with anything until we had some ideas which were clearly thought out.

“Something people can see and do is ten times more effective than any meeting about community cohesion.”

Today Emma Clark, a writer and lecturer on garden design, gave a talk to a crowd of councillors and Muslim community leaders about the meaning of Islamic gardens.

She described the importance of water and shade in the tradition of the garden, and drew parallels with medieval cathedral gardens in Europe.

No site has yet been picked for the garden, although the steering group has a shortlist of locations.

Councillor Mohammed Rafiq, who helped come up with the idea of the garden, said: “It would be the first one in all of Great Britain.

“It would be good to have to use for educational purposes.”

The gardens, which traditionally have uniform layouts and four 'rivers' running through them, are housed behind high walls and are supposed to be a haven of peace and tranquillity.

What do you think of the plans? Leave your comments below.