A past walk through alpine flowers

Here is a memory of my walk around the Rokko Alpine Botanical Garden in 2016.

June 10th, 2016

At the Rokko Alpine Botanical Garden opened in 1933, approximately 1,500 species of rear alpine plants worldwide and plants in cold climates are cultivate. Wild plants of Mt. Rokko grow as well. Located at 865m above sea level, plants grow in a near-native environment.

The Alpine Plants District is composed of three, Hymalayan, European, and Japanese district.

- At Hymalayan district -

I was looking for Himalayan Blue Poppy, knowing its season is almost over, 

but some lingering flowers caught my eyes. 

Since I saw a spectacular landscape of Blue Poppy on my blog friend’s blog, 

I’ve had a longing for the blue flower.
This is the only place in the western Japan where you can see Blue Poppies outdoors.

A blue tissue-paper flower.

There are apurple ones, too.

 -At European district -

"Small and white, clean and bright...."
Leontopodium alpinum, or edelweiss 

Geranium dalmaticum

- At Japanese district -

Ezo-ruri-so, Mertensia pterocarpa var. yezoensis, or Japanese Blue Bells

Pink buds open to sapphire-blue tubular flowers. 

Koma-kusa, or Dicentra peregrinak

"Koma" means a colt. The flower looks like the face of a horse

Some other charming flowers of which name I don't know.

"Ko-ajisai", small Japanese Hydrangea, or Hydrangea hirta,

grow wild in the dappled shadow of the Rokko Mountains.

Small bluish purple flowers don't have ornamental flowers

different from other Hydrangea genus.

"Kurin-so", Japanese Primrose, at their final stage.

The green stems with seed pods were shining in the late afternoon sun.

Dripping green essence from the green ceiling.

Finish of the tour was a nice tea time in the shower of green.

Now, June, 2020, it has been like late July with temperature soaring to 32-22 degrees C.

The rainy season set in five days ago will last till mid-July.

It is forecast rains of this year won't be gentle but downpouring mostly.

Hydrangeas, floral symbol of Japanese rainy season, are in full bloom.

From my garden

Linked to Mosaic Monday
Thank you, Angie, for hosting.

Mount Rokko laughs

“山笑うYama warau/Mountain laughs” is spring kigo in haiku poems. 

It tells soft, bright air of spring mountains.

From late April to early May, Mount Rokko looks laughing
in verdure, soft colors, and the energy to be born into.  

Branches look purplish before budding of leaves.

“To laugh” is written 笑うor 咲う in Japanese.

咲く(to flower) was 笑う(to laugh) in ancient writing.

The whole mountain looks enveloped in peaceful laughters with laughing flowers here and there.

The tunnel of Exochorda racemosa.

When walking in fresher, sweeter air, you’ll find yourself smiling. 

The soft shades of green of tiny baby leaves.

The pink of peach, rhododendron, or azalea flowers reminds me 
of F’s tutu on her first ballet recital.

At the Hase-ike Pond, ripples make distorted pastel reflections 
of fresh maple leaves and azalea flowers surrounding the pond.

The pads of aqua plants have just emerged.

 The baby pads of water lilies are so lovely and serene with purplish hue.

They change colors to green by the time when the aqua plants bloom.

In summer, they spread across the water’s surface, filling it with colors and vibrancy.

The newly born pads of Nuphar japonicum are pink.
The glinting pads in the sun look like jewels of the pond.

コウホネ Nuphar japonicum

The branches of soft yellow Yamabuki, or Kerria japonica, are so slender 
that can be easily shaken by the winds.
Lovely to see them softly swaying in the breeze.

By the way, a darling, opening bud in my family, turned 4 on the 1st of May.

Having attended kindergarten only two weeks, 

Y seems to have developed greater self-control. 

He wants to try new experiences. 

Since last winter, he enjoyed helping his mother to make pizzas.

He makes small holes and pastes olive oil thinly on the dough prepared by his mom, 

and top the one with sausages, tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, and cheese
and the other with apple, ham, and cheese.

Here you are, homemade pizza is ready.

What made you smile or laugh recently?

Linked to Our World Tuesday

Into the world of Peter Rabbit picture book at Mt. Rokko

Mt. Rokko (931 meters) is the highest peak in the Rokko mountain range, which provides the green backdrop to the city of Kobe. 

An Englishman, Arthur H. Groom pioneered the development of Mt. Rokko as a resort place in the beginning of the 20^th century.

Almost at the same time in Britain, 1902, The Tale of Peter Rabbit was published to be greatly
acclaimed. The nature of the English Lake District which the author Beatrix Potter (1866-1943) loved are incorporated into the stories.  In early July, I enjoyed some scenes from the picture book unfolding at Rokko Garden Terrace and Rokko Country House.

At the gate of Rose Walk, Peter Rabbit welcomes you.

British cottage garden is my favorite garden style
for its natural, unpretentious look with various plants close together. 

I know it takes a certain amount of time, thoughts, and efforts to create a garden that looks natural. 

I have been so familiar with Foxgloves in my British blog friend’s posts 

that I came to think a cottage garden is not perfect without Foxgloves in early summer.  

I was so happy to see them in person!

I almost tried to insert my fingers to the glove.

Time for a Dandee cake made of dried fruits and nuts which Squirrel Nutkin collected

and organic Darjeeling tea.

Dear Friends,

I’ve had uncomfortable sensation of floating with slight nausea since last week when I was suddenly caught by a balance disorder.  I took MRI test in case and my brain turned out to be healthy and young for my age.  I think I’m on the way to recovery, but it’d be better for me to stay away from computer for a while.  (This post was already made before I fell into bad health condition.)  And besides, now that rainy season is over, it’s high summer, time to enjoy idleness, to have cozy slow time with family.  I’ll have a summer break on blogging a little earlier than I planned.  

Wish you a lovely summer or winter, and be safe from the dangerous heat or cold. 

Yoko

Thank you for reading.

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