May 28, 2019

Waterlily Pond: Ofuna Botanical Garden (Kamakura)

Waterlily Pond: Ofuna Botanical Garden (Kamakura)


Bathed in the bright liquid sun, the pure white flowers and blue-green leaves of Suiren (waterlily) are quietly floating on the surface of the tranquil pond as if to be filled with joy in the inconspicuous beginning of summer.

The ever-changing reflection of the deep blue sky, the violet flowers, and the fresh green leaves is softly glinting on the rippled water.

The subtle and endless transition of sunlight, colors, and shades composes a piece of silent water music for this waterlily pond, which continues flowing harmoniously at an eternal moment here.

(As an homage to Claude Monet)



Rose garden: Ofuna Botanical garden (Kamakura)

Rose garden: Ofuna Botanical garden (Kamakura)


Summer has begun advancing steadily, bringing the dazzling sunlight from the blue sky and the bracing wind through fresh green treetops. All living things are vigorously growing to fleetly release all their life-force stored before now.

In this peaceful rose garden, numberless flowers of various colors are blooming with all their might and are jubilantly competing with each other for splendor and aroma.

Like these colorful roses which are in all their glory before my eyes, every flower of each season blooms finely to show the hidden signs and wonders of our evermoving universe.


(Additional photographs of the rose garden are uploaded to my another photoblog, "Like floating clouds and flowing streams.")


Shakuyaku (Paeonia lactiflora) flowers: Ofuna Botanical Garden (Kamakura)

Shakuyaku (Paeonia lactiflora) flowers: Ofuna Botanical Garden (Kamakura)


These Chinese peony flowers in full bloom made me recall the picture entitled "Peony Garden" painted by Monet (owned by National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo).



Utsugi (Deutzia crenata) flowers and Komisuji (Neptis sappho) butterfly: Engaku-ji

Utsugi (Deutzia crenata) flowers and Komisuji (Neptis sappho) butterfly: Engaku-ji


In the secret grassy garden, where birds are warbling delightedly in the grove, I saw a small butterfly with three-striped black wings gently fluttering around the tiny white flowers to seek the floral nectar they give.



Hakuunboku (Styrax obassia) flowers: Engaku-ji

Hakuunboku (Styrax obassia) flowers: Engaku-ji


The elongated flower cluster formed from the separate white flowers open in succession appears like a snow-white cloud floating in the sky, which is the origin of the Japanese given-name "Haku-un-boku" (white cloud tree) of this kind of tree.



Peony flower: Kita-kamakura (my garden)

Peony flower: Kita-kamakura (my garden)

Shaga (Iris japonica) Flowers: Engaku-ji

Shaga (Iris japonica) Flowers: Engaku-ji

Peony flowers: Kencho-ji

Peony flowers: Kencho-ji

Peony flowers: Kencho-ji

Peony flowers: Kencho-ji

Peony flowers: Kencho-ji

Peony flowers: Kencho-ji

Peony flowers: Kencho-ji

Peony flowers: Kencho-ji

Sekkoku (Dendrobium moniliforme) flowers: Kaizo-ji

Sekkoku (Dendrobium moniliforme) Flowers: Kaizo-ji

Shakunage (Rhododendron) flowers: Kaizo-ji

Shakunage (Rhododendron) flowers: Kaizo-ji