May 24, 2022

Botan (peony) flowers: Kencho-ji

Botan (peony) flowers: Kencho-ji


The magnificent flowers of peonies, which are the typical flowers that adorn the gardens with brilliant colors in the latter half of spring, are in full bloom as if to compete against each other for their grace and dignity in their realm.

The peony is a flowering tree native to China, and its noble flowers have been highly praised as the king of flowers there.

The peony is believed to have been introduced into Japan from China during the Nara period (710-794), but according to one theory, it was first brought to Japan as a medicinal plant by Kukai (Kobo Daishi), who was an Japanese envoy sent to the Tang Dynasty and later founded the esoteric Shingon school of Buddhism in Japan during the Heian period (794-1185).

Each of these flowers continues blooming for only a few days, and then their thin fragile petals, which look like luxurious silk crepes, rapidly loose their moisture and fall off one by one as if to narrate the ruin of royalty.


Botan (peony) flowers: Kencho-ji

Botan (peony) flowers: Kencho-ji


The shapes and hues of flowers astonish me by their striking exquisiteness and strangeness. Flowers are generally thought to be the leaves transformed as organs of reproduction. Although being horticulturally bred for human appreciation in some cases, flowers seem to be excessively ornamental far beyond their biological function. 

Perhaps, for several billions of years, this mysterious ornamentation of flowers, along with the allure of their sweet nectar, may have been refined in order to gain an advantage in enticing insects and other creatures to assist in the pollination of plants. Such insects and creatures may rigorously evaluate the appearance and fragrance of flowers and visit the chosen flowers that are appropriate to perform their laborious pollination tasks.

At all events, the evolutionary histories of plants, their pollinating creatures and their symbiosis must be far beyond human understanding. 

Various flowers bloom beautifully before my eyes in each season, but they never let me know what lies behind their graceful and enigmatic appearances.

Botan (peony) flowers: Kencho-ji

Botan (peony) flowers: Kencho-ji

 

Botan (peony) flowers: Kencho-ji

Botan (peony) flowers: Kencho-ji

 

Botan (peony) flowers: Kencho-ji

Botan (peony) flowers: Kencho-ji

 

Kakitsubata (iris) flowers: Kaizo-ji

Kakitsubata (iris) flowers: Kaizo-ji


The vivid violet flowers and green sword-like leaves of Kakitsubata are mirrored on the calm surface of the pond, which is covered with the minute rippling waves created by a gentle spring breeze.

The bright vermilion of the azalea flowers blooming in the quiet garden behind the pond is reflected like a flaming bonfire and is adorning the mirror image shimmering on the jet-black water with the color of a fire.


 

Sekkoku (Dendrobium herb) flowers: Kaizo-ji

Sekkoku (Dendrobium herb) flowers: Kaizo-ji

 

Kakitsubata (iris) flowers: Kaizo-ji

Kakitsubata (iris) flowers: Kaizo-ji

 

Kaede (maple) tree: Kaizo-ji

Kaede (maple) tree: Kaizo-ji

 

Baika-utsugi (Philadelphus satsumi) flowers: Kaizo-ji

Baika-utsugi (Philadelphus satsumi) flowers: Kaizo-ji

 

Water lily flowers: Ofuna Flower Center (Kamakura)

Water lily flowers: Ofuna Flower Center (Kamakura)

 

Water lily flowers: Ofuna Flower Center (Kamakura)

Water lily flowers: Ofuna Flower Center (Kamakura)

 

Fuji (Japanese wisteria) flowers: Ofuna Flower Center (Kamakura)

Fuji (Japanese wisteria) flowers: Ofuna Flower Center (Kamakura)

 

Fuji (Japanese wisteria) flowers: Ofuna Flower Center (Kamakura)

Fuji (Japanese wisteria) flowers: Ofuna Flower Center (Kamakura)

 

Fuji (Japanese wisteria) flowers: Ofuna Flower Center (Kamakura)

Fuji (Japanese wisteria) flowers: Ofuna Flower Center (Kamakura)

 

Fuji (Japanese wisteria) flowers: Ofuna Flower Center (Kamakura)

Fuji (Japanese wisteria) flowers: Ofuna Flower Center (Kamakura)

 

May 7, 2022

Kaido (Malus halliana) flowers: Kaizo-ji

Kaido (Malus halliana) flowers: Kaizo-ji


Enticed by a flood of blazing colors in the spring sun, I wandered into the humble garden of this old temple and found the old tree of Kaido bearing countless rose-red flowers.

As if to try to inherit the principal role in spring flowers from the gradually declining flowers of Sakura, the Kaido flowers drooping from the slender twigs were in full bloom and were decorating the tranquil garden in such a way as to put rouge on its cheeks.

Kaido is a flowering tree of rose family native to China, and the Chinese people have highly praised its flowers of maidenly grace since very remote times. 

This flower is sometimes called "the broken heart flower" there, according to the ancient legend that, when a girl was forcibly separated from her lover and cried out longing for him, the beautiful rose-red flowers of Kaido appeared in the place where her tears of blood had dripped.



Kaido (Malus halliana) flowers: Kaizo-ji

Kaido (Malus halliana) flowers: Kaizo-ji


The combination of the rosy shades of the flower petals and the vivid green of the new leaves causes the exquisite elegance of these Kaido flowers in the gentle spring sun.

At the tip of the crimson floral axes extending from the slender branches, these bewitching flowers are hanging their heads low like taking a long afternoon nap.

They seem to keep sleeping gracefully like Empress Yang Kuei-Fei of the Tang dynasty who is known as the legendary lady of unmatched beauty in China. She became tipsy and felt into a doze in the peaceful palace garden before the eyes of Emperor Xuan Zong who was deeply enchanted by her.


Kaido (Malus halliana) flowers: Kaizo-ji

Kaido (Malus halliana) flowers: Kaizo-ji


These graceful flowers will soon scatter and vanish completely in the rapid flow of the seasons. The long-awaited flowers of each season bloom for a short period of time and quickly fade away without clinging to the branches. 

In many cases, like Sakura or Ume flowers, as soon as flowers fall altogether, fresh green leaves emerge in a great hurry as if to wipe out the remains of the flowers, which lets me forget the delightful memory that the entrancing flowers were once in full bloom.

Although I know that such is the way of this very transitory world, the swift passage of the seasons often brings on the subtle feeling of melancholy and loss, especially in spring.


Kaido (Malus halliana) flowers: Kaizo-ji

Kaido (Malus halliana) flowers: Kaizo-ji

 

Shaga (Iris japonica) flowers: Kencho-ji

Shaga (Iris japonica) flowers: Kencho-ji

 

Fuji (wisteria) flowers: Engaku-ji

Fuji (wisteria) flowers: Engaku-ji

 

Sekkoku (Dendrobium herb) flowers: Engaku-ji

Sekkoku (Dendrobium herb) flowers: Engaku-ji

 

Shakunage (rhododendron) and Tsutsuji (azalea) flowers: Kaizo-ji

Shakunage (rhododendron) and Tsutsuji (azalea) flowers: Kaizo-ji

 

Shakunage (rhododendron), Tsutsuji (azalea) and Yamabuki (Kerria japonica) flowers: Kaizo-ji

Shakunage (rhododendron), Tsutsuji (azalea) and Yamabuki (Kerria japonica) flowers: Kaizo-ji



 

Fuji (Japanese wisteria) and Oodemari (Viburnum plicatum) flowers: Engaku-ji

Fuji (Japanese wisteria) and Oodemari (Viburnum plicatum) flowers: Engaku-ji

 

Yae-zakura (double‐flowered cherry tree) flowers: Engaku-ji

Yae-zakura (double‐flowered cherry tree) flowers: Engaku-ji

 

Tsutsuji (azalea) and Shaga (Iris japonica) flowers: Engaku-ji

Tsutsuji (azalea) and Shaga (Iris japonica) flowers: Engaku-ji

 

Kaido (Malus halliana) flowers: Genji-yama park (Kita-kamakura)

Kaido (Malus halliana) flowers: Genji-yama park (Kita-kamakura)

 

Kaido (Malus halliana) flowers: Genji-yama park (Kita-kamakura)

Kaido (Malus halliana) flowers: Genji-yama park (Kita-kamakura)

 

Kaido (Malus halliana) flowers: Genji-yama park (Kita-kamakura)

Kaido (Malus halliana) flowers: Genji-yama park (Kita-kamakura)

 

Shiro-fuji (white Japanese wisteria) flowers: Tsurugaoka-hachimangu

Shiro-fuji (white Japanese wisteria) flowers: Tsurugaoka-hachimangu