A MAN unveiled a new Japanese style seat in tranquil gardens in honour of his ancestor who founded them.

Brigadier Andrew Parker Bowles honoured his great, great nephew of Edward August Bowles, who founded Myddleton House Gardens, in Enfield, and lived there from 1865 to 1954.

The new two-and-a-half metre high shelter, known as a Torrii seat, has been crafted in a Japenese st yle from Iroko wood, with a red cedar oriental style roof, to blend naturally with the landscape.

Cutting the ribbon, the brigadier said he was delighted to be the first to sit in the shelter which overlooks his ancestor's favourite spot - the Rock Garden.

He said: "It is a great honour to be able to try out this lovely new Japanese style seat, which I am sure my ancestor

E A Bowles would have loved, as he was enthusiastic about all things Japanese. He had great hopes of introducing a Japanese theme into the gardens, but sadly it never happened.

“So now I can proudly say that his wish has come true and here at last is his ‘Japanese style’ corner of the gardens.”

The seat has been provided through contributions from the E A Bowles’ of Myddelton House Society, a bequest from Jack Frost, who died last year aged 94 and donations from regular visitors to the garden. Jack Frost was a friend who had been one of the many youngsters that E A Bowles supported financially and with their education through his charitable funding.

Brigadier Parker Bowles is President of the E A Bowles of Myddelton House Society, and has played a significant role in the restoration of Myddelton House Gardens and visited the gardens in his role as society president.

Jackie Kingdom, chairman of the E A Bowles of Myddelton House Society, thanked the Brigadier for his support of the gardens and the society as its president Myddelton House Gardens Historian and Bowles’ biographer, Bryan Hewitt, also read a passage to visitors and members of the Society, from E A Bowles’ first book, ‘My Garden in Spring’.

The event also saw 127 years of volunteering at the gardens recognised, with long service awards being presented to seven volunteer helpers.

Paul Osborn, chairman the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, handed long service awards to Jackie Kingdom (13 years) Liz Macincol, (15 years) Gill Pointer (15 years) Enid Smith (19 years) Enid Eddington, (23 years) Alan Petitt and Kathy Pettit (both 21 years).