Gardens
Japan does gardens so well – running water, bridges, trees and some fabulous flowers. What else could you possibly want; I haven’t yet seen a garden that disappoints. And we have yet to see the larger National Gardens that have been closed during these Covid times.
New Otani Gardens
Just 10 acres in size, this garden is in private ownership as part of a hotel complex but it is free to look around. It is one of my favourite spots in Tokyo.
Higo-Hosokawa Garden
Flowers
I have never lived anywhere with spectacular flowers all year round. I was surprised to see local ward staff planting out bedding plants in December and was worried that they would be killed by frost. But I think I remember only one frost and that was mild.
In addition to the famous cherry blossom, Sakura, there are festivals for azaleas, wisteria and hydrangeas. And that is just in springtime. But alongside roads, on pavements, outside shopping centres and in parks there are flowers everywhere, Some are planned displays but my favourite are the plantings alongside the canals where I take my daily walks. The stretches outside our block and further up are my favourite ….. random appearance of flowers that remind me of my Aunt Marion’s garden. These sections are tended by a small number of elderly ladies who start at 6 am (Geoff sees them, not me!) I am sure that if we could converse they would, just like my aunt, tell me where and when they received cuttings and planted them out.
These are just a few of the flowers that I enjoyed on my walk today –
It is still a novelty to live in a country where there is no wanton vandalism …. plants are left undamaged, and watering cans & gardening tools are left in situ.
My Gardening
Word must have got around …. why else would I see this man be taking notes & appreciating my efforts? I reckon he had heard that it is novel for me to have so many living plants!
