The photos seen by the audience were taken on a trip by the presenter in March 2013. Since Japan has four seasons like in Canada, one can expect different landscapes and natural scenery depending on the season. There is also a large climate difference between the northernmost part of Japan such as Hokkaido Island, and the southernmost part, Kyushu Island, where a subtropical climate can be found on the south coast.
Therefore most areas visited (from Tokyo and Kanazawa in the north to Nagasaki and Kochi in the south) had their deciduous trees still bare in general at the beginning of March, and even the spring bulbs were only starting to show up in most areas except in the south. But as March went on nature gradually woke up, and the best example of this is the 'sakura front'.
In a few words the Sakura front means that weather forecasters, at that time of the year, will include in their broadcasts the expected time of the blooming of the cherry trees in any given area of the country. As can be expected this will start in the south of Japan first and gradually move up north, hence the word 'front'.
Why such emphasis on blooming cherry trees? The sakura (cherry blossom) holds a very important place in Japanese culture. Not only is it the national flower, but for centuries cherry blossoms have been cited in poetry, illustrated in paintings, more recently used in films, and celebrated for their ephemeral beauty. One way the Japanese celebrate the cherry blossom time is with the 'hanami', i.e. flower viewing. But it's more than that: people are having picnics under blooming cherry trees, and it's almost a national holiday!
Because most of the deciduous trees were bare & there were very few flower species in bloom at the time of that trip, this allowed the opportunity to focus on the general structure and accessories of the Japanese garden, and especially on the tree shapes.
Interested readers who want more information on Japanese Gardens can check the Wikipedia website for an excellent introduction: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_garden . In short, a Japanese garden will create miniature idealized landscapes in an abstract and stylized way (cloud pruning), and is designed for recreation and aesthetic pleasure (nobles, emperors) or for contemplation and meditation (temples, shrines). Sometimes botanical gardens in different parts of the world will have sections displaying plants from other countries, and many will feature a Japanese garden.
Here are some views of the gardens of Japan described in the March 19 presentation (click on any photo to enlarge) :
Cloud pruning here is performed on Japanese black pines (pinus thunbergii), a tree that is also one of those used for bonsai training. Cloud pruning can be seen as a form of topiary, a kind of living sculpture.
TREE SUPPORT : trees of special significance are sometimes supported by a system of vertical posts and horizontal beams that can be quite elaborate:
a deciduous tree has a hollow trunk that was filled with various materials and wrapped with ties, then supported vertically in several places.On the right, a Japanese black pine is supported in many places on his right and left trunks, some of the beams being in the water. Both trees are located in the Kenroku-en Garden in Kanazawa (see below).
SNOW PROTECTION (yukitsuri): the Kenroku-en Garden is an old (1620s) private garden that is now one of the 'Three Great Gardens' of Japan. Located in Kanazawa, where in the winter there is a lot of wet snow, the garden has many trees, bushes and hedges that need snow protection due to that snow. For this, Japanese crew use bamboo poles and ropes usually attached in a tent-like fashion. These structures are installed in the fall and dismantled in the spring. Some examples :
The round hedge on the left has three of those tent structures. And on the right, the tents seem to reach for the sky over the pines they are protecting. Several areas in the garden were protected this way, and in addition to all the permanent tree supports, it provided quite an unusual sight!
MOSS : many of those old gardens don't really have lawns; instead
the ground is covered with mosses of different kinds and colors. They are not to be trespassed on - visitors remain on the designed paths. GARDEN MAPS AND PLANS : most large gardens provide a good map at the entrance, and often the descriptions are bilingual (Japanese and English):
Brochures (mostly bilingual) are also available most of the time.
SAKURA AND HANAMI : here are some photos (Ueno Park, Tokyo) of this very Japanese-specific element of their culture :
There are dozens of cherry tree varieties grown for ornamental purposes, most with double petals, and sterile. The Sakura time is also an important international touristic attraction in the spring, especially in Ueno Park.
Dozens of mature cherry trees line this central lane of the park, under which people install blue tarps and have a picnic (food and sake), day and night. In spite of the huge crowds the festivities unfold in a rather calm and disciplined fashion. STONE LANTERNS : stone lanterns are an integral part of any traditional Japanese garden, large or small. They too can be large or small. From left to right : Ueno Park, Tokyo; Sengan-en Garden, Kagoshima (that one was huge); Isahaya Park, Nagasaki.
Other interesting features of Japanese gardens are the use of gravel and sand such as in zen gardens (on the right, Kinkaku-ji Temple, Kyoto), on the grounds of Buddhist temples for example, and which are designed for contemplation and meditation.
PRIVATE GARDENS : as can be expected, many regular citizens in Japan will have cloud-pruned pines, stone lanterns, gravel and rocks in their gardens, even small ones.
The owner of this garden (left) in Nagasaki, a retired gentleman, made a clever use of perspective to provide depth to an otherwise narrow space (around 6 m) between his house and his neighbor's (background). The properties are separated by a pruned hedge of pine and this garden displays several meticulously cloud-pruned bushes and trees. Perspective is provided among other things by a cascading of pebbles interspersed with rocks.
COMMUNITY OR FAMILY GARDENS : due to the high density of the population (124 million) and the scarcity of agricultural land, every available space is being used to grow food, usually greens, rice (paddies) or tea (hedges):
Above: family garden in Kagoshima; above right: what in Canada would likely be used as a lawn with perhaps flower beds, between a parking lot and a street, here is rather used as a veggie plot (greens) in the middle of Kyoto; right: community garden in Naruse, Machida, Tokyo, along the Onda River.
Even narrow streets with no
sidewalks and where a car can barely make it - or lanes - will be lined with rows of
flower pots or even pots of greens : a street in Matsudo, east of Tokyo (left); a lane in Tokushima (right).
SOME PLANTS FROM JAPAN THAT WE USE IN OUR GARDENS :
Many gardeners are familiar with, among others, the Japanese maple, which leaves turn a bright flame red in the fall; the Japanese iris; the Japanese wisteria, a robust vine with long clusters of fragrant lilac flowers; the Japanese larch; the Japanese cedar; the Japanese (or Chinese) lantern, with red-orange lantern-like papery envelopes that make great dry bouquets; and the hostas, which were imported from Japan.
(article and photos by Denise Motard)
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