Hana-shobu Iris (Japanese water iris, or Iris ensata var. ensata) starts to bloom
with the arrival of the rainy season.
At the Iris Garden of the Shiro-kita Park (since 1934), Osaka, irises bloomed
much earlier than usual perhaps due to long warmer spring.
in the softly falling rain.
Sunny day is not bad at all, however, if your visit is in the morning.
The blooms shimmered in the light, so did the reflections.
I wandered around the garden while admiring the "rainbows on earth"
in hues of blue, purple, pink, yellow, and white.
This Iris
Garden has about 13000 irises of 250 different cultivars
Hanashobu irises you see in Japanese gardens around the country
are the result of careful selection and hybridizationwith other Japanese and Eurasian irises
since Edo period (1603-1867) when horticulture flourished.
Breeders and growers have created better and more colorful irises.
Each cultivar was given noble name fitting to its appearance when it was cross-bred.
Usually I don't remember the name, but these white is "夕鶴 Yu-zuru/Female Crane".
Do you see a flock of fluttering crane?
A walk through Hanashobu irises is one of the summer joys.
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I am amazed at so many different shape and colour combinations in these Hanashobu water iris. Really gorgeous. And beautiful pictures!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful flowers and so many colours. It must be amazing to see them all in bloom. Lovely photos!
ReplyDeleteYour photos are excellent! This is a very beautiful place and I love the reflections!
ReplyDeletebeautiful flowers and reflections. Have a lovely weekend.
ReplyDeleteHow lovely to see your post! Gorgeous series of photos! Thank you so much for making my day. :)
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful photos. I appreciate the close-ups of the water irises as I am designing a piece with yellow water irises and stitching it in the traditional Japanese embroidery style.
ReplyDeleteThank you
Thank you, Ruth, for this comment. I’m happy to know the close-ups would be helpful to your embroidery. Keep up the good work.
DeleteAbsolutely, lovely gardens. My grandmother and mother's favorite flower is the Iris, so when I see one, I think of them.
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous sight!
ReplyDeletePRECIOSAS !!!
ReplyDeleteEs una maravilla ver esos campos llenos de lirios. Aquí ya se han pasado, pero pronto florecerán los silvestres que nacen por los puertos de montaña. Besetes.
Great reflections.
ReplyDeleteSydney – City and Suburbs
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ReplyDeleteBeautiful series of the water Iris, love them.
DeleteI love irises but mear the water they are more charming !!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing those lovely pictures !
Have a nice weekend !
Anna
These photos are amazing...looks like paradise.
ReplyDeleteこんばんは。花菖蒲も紫陽花も雨に日がお似合いですね。６番目の写真、左が江戸紫、右が京紫、見事に咲き分けていますね。
ReplyDeleteIt was great to hear from you, Yoko, and I thank you for the nice comments! I do think our weather and flora is very similar. These photos could certainly have been taken in central Florida. I'm always delighted by two things that characterize your pictures - the aura of serenity they give off and the light. Good photography always has to do with the light and you have mastered that aspect of it! I hope you have a wonderful summer also. We are fine but it is unusually hot here so far with 97 F expected today! Yikes!
ReplyDeleteこんばんわ
ReplyDeleteしとしと降る雨の日の花菖蒲は,きっと美しいと思います。太陽の光でちらちら光っていると、水にきれいに映るのですね？
どのお花も愛らしく、競って水の鏡に話かけている様に見えますよ。
♫♪ه° ·.
ReplyDeleteLindo demais!!! Um paraíso!!!
Bom fim de semana!
Beijinhos.
💕ه° ·.
Wow, very nice flowers. Little Paradise.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Yoko for sharing such beauty. Here they are few and are wild
ReplyDeleteThis is wonderful !!!
Good Saturday.
Besos.
Beautiful irises here Yoko, the shades of purple are just gorgeous! I love how calming this looks too around the water. Thank you for the Japanese for seathrift - I'm actually trying to learn Japanese at the moment - learning all of the hiragana at the moment and know a few words so picking up others is always really interesting and fun! - Tasha
ReplyDeleteOh how I would love to float in a small boat, worry free, down the watery path (pictured) with irises blooming all around me in a rainbow of color. That would be serenity. :)
ReplyDeleteThe photos are beautiful, some magnificent. I like pictures with garden and flowers. Yoko, kiss and good Sunday.
ReplyDeletegorgeous post!!
ReplyDeleteWow! Very beautiful!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous irises, each so beautiful and delicate, dancing gracefully in the softly flowing breeze. Thanks so much for taking us along, dear Yoko... I would so love to spend a few moments by the water and gaze at the reflections admiring the rainbows on earth as they shimmer in the sunshine. Such bliss!
ReplyDeleteThaks for the link, Yoko! Who do yoy say the teacher is?)
ReplyDeleteAnd the irises too. When you look at them you have no doubts about the world order, its law is harmony.
I'm writing this savouring brown rice tea. There's a huge bunch of peonies on the table, can you feel its delicate scent?
Have a lovely night full of freshness and stars!
Irina
Yoko,they are absolutely beautiful! I love the variation of shades and spidery veins. It must be reassuring to know when the rains will come - here every day offers surprises, and the weather forecast often gets it wrong!
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely week,
Ruby
Hello Yoko!
ReplyDeleteGreat irises. The first time I see such subtle variations.
I can not break away from their eyes. The true miracle of nature.
Yoko, thank you very much, that I can irises at your watch.
Greetings from Poland.
Lucja
Dear Yoko!!!!
ReplyDeleteYour photos are as usual - well,
Greetings:)
Lucja
A joy indeed to see all the varieties and colors of the Iris. They are such graceful flowers. I love their watery reflections.
ReplyDeleteSuch beauty! I have looked at these photos over and over, you are a master photographer, Yoko-san. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteAnd a haiku of Basho's -to have blue irises/ blooming on one's feet/ walking-sandal straps.
A bow,
Mary
It’s so nice to hear from you, Mary. I’m glad to know you enjoy these photos which reminded you of Basho’s haiku.
DeleteAs you may know; “Waraji”, sandals made of straw or rush, have thongs that are put between the big toe and the other toes. Basho put bluish-purple, Iris-colored thongs presented by his friend on the day of his departure to continue his travel. Iris was used to drive away evil spirits. His friend wished Basho’s safe trip by the color of iris. Basho showed his gratitude in this haiku.
水際に咲く花は、水面に映えるのも楽しめるので華がありますね。日本的な風光明媚な景色で郷愁の念に駆られてしまいましたが、梅雨の時期であるのを思い出すと帰国に二の足を踏んでしまいます^_^私のブログにコメント頂きありがとうございます。お体ご自愛ください。
ReplyDeleteYoshi
So lovely to get to enjoy your irises. I thought of planting them along my creek and found out that it is illegal here. I was told that they can clog waterways. I do love looking at them though.
ReplyDeleteSeeing and reading this, I understand perfectly that enjoyments visiting the irises after the rain. For me also it has been the whole pleasure to accompany virtually in your walk.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry to hear of your health challenge, but so happy that you are beginning to feel better. Such good news with the MRI.
ReplyDeleteThe garden photos are beautiful and I am thinking that if you put your finger in the foxglove that you would have become a pollinator. ;-)
Lovely summer to you.