June

The sound of water is refreshing.

Enjoy early summer days.

 

Colorful Peonies 牡丹花

In this spring, soon after the cherry blossoms, peony flowers opened. 

Petals are large, soft and very thin.

This looks like a lotus flower.

These petals are typical. You can see them designed in many art works such as pictures, porcelain and clothes.

 A pretty one. The edge of the petal is round.

 

Full Bloom

Somei-Yoshino Cherry blossoms were in full bloom around 4th to 7th April this year here.

It's really a good chance in the spring to take a deep breath, looking up white cherry petals under the blue sky.

Lots of people were walking under the blossoms, smiling, chatting and taking photos with their cell phones. Every generation had looked forward to enjoying cherry blooming.

Young children were running and jumping under the trees. Their cheerful laugh made the day brighter.

Happy Spring to you!

 

Orchid Blooms !

Thanks to your cheering, my orchid has bloomed. 

Two petals and three sepals look healthy. Lots of gardeners say they can communicate with their plants. The orchid survived the winter. I didn't catch the flu. I feel we are comrades.

 

Pink Cherry Blossoms near Izumi Jinja

Cherry has two types, one is in bloom before leaves grow, the other is in bloom after they grow. Which do you like? It may be my first time to see this Pink kind.
 

Usuzumi Sakura Cherry Blooms 薄墨櫻花開了

It's rainy and cold today. The highest temperature was 13.5℃. I just came to see how many blossoms of this cherry kind is in bloom. 

Some warmer days promoted blooming. TV news said Somei-yoshino cherry blossoms, the most popular kind, bloomed  the day before yesterday. 

Usuzumi Sakura usually blooms 7 to 10 days earlier than Somei-yoshino.

During the end of March and the first of April, Japan is in a short rainy season. I recommend you to allow a few days for enjoying cherry blossoms on a sunny and warm day. 

Though these trees are huge, the tree age is only around 50 to 60 years old. They can grow very fast.
 

Spring Yellow

I love to see yellow flowers in early spring. Two poppy flowers are in bloom. Usually poppies start blooming from mid April in this area. This cultivar might be an early one, or it might have been blessed with good conditions.

I found lots of small yellow flowers blooming at the base of a big tree.

I walked in the gentle spring sunlight. It's the vernal equinox tomorrow.
 

Unimaginable Growth

I posted this mini phalaenopsis orchid with its pink flower last August. I show you the present state here. I payed attention to keep the temperature over 15℃ during the winter. 

This plant has three types of root. The three green roots near to you are natural ones when we see plants. They are growing directly into the soil. Other two types are beyond my imagination. Never have I seen a root coming out between an upper and lower leaves. You can see two long roots on right and left sides growing towards the ground.

To my surprise, the third type root is growing into the air ! What is it doing?? I checked internet and knew that this one catches moisture in the air.

蝴蝶蘭的根長得很奇怪。

Now the orchid has four or more buds. It will take long time to bloom because the temperature is still low until mid April.

A Heavy Snow 下了一場大雪

We had a big snowfall last Sunday for the first time in 12 years. The rice fields were completely covered.

The snow was 18 cm deep. Some of you would not say this was a big one.

We have not had a snowfall of more than 20 cm deep for 30 years. 

I went to the park to see trees covered with snow.