Showing posts with label ayame. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ayame. Show all posts
July 2, 2025
June 11, 2023
Ayame (iris) flowers: Ofuna Flower Center (Kamakura)
They sprout from around May and grow to a height of 50 cm to 1 m, producing delicate and ephemeral flowers of white, blue, purple, spotted and yellow.
Flowers can be three-petalled, six-petalled or double-petalled and the sword-shaped leaves are narrow and raised with distinct veins.
In Japanese horticulture, there are four main types according to where the variety was bred, which are called Edo, Ise, Higo, Nagai Kosei families. Furthermore, the hybrids of these families, the yellow-flowered varieties bred through interspecific crosses, and varieties bred in foreign countries such as the USA are inherited.
The irises that I photographed in the Ofuna Flower Center belong to a classic strain of the Ofuna iris family. They were bred based on the national export policy during the Taisho period (1912-1926). This breeding was linked to the historical background of the internationalization of modern Japan at the time.
The main person behind this breeding was Bungo Miyazawa, who was the director of the Kanagawa Prefectural Agricultural Experiment Station at the time. Although this station continued only for a short period of time, some 300 varieties were bred by crossing the Edo-type iris varieties available at the time.
The current Ofuna Flower Center is the successor to this Kanagawa Prefectural Agricultural Experiment Station.
June 30, 2022
Ayame (iris) flowers: Kaizo-ji
Noticing the approach of the rainy season, the dainty flowers of iris, which seem to be made of thin pale silks having purple stripes, are beginning to bloom gracefully in the tranquil garden as if to expect the imminent arrival of merciful summer rains.
The lively chirps of lesser-cuckoo, which are the summer migratory birds having just arrived here from India and China, are heard distantly as the gentle declaration of the seasonal change.
The fragile and watery petals of these silky flowers will dry and droop before the evening of this day, without being able to wait for the quiet rainy night patiently.
Ayame (iris) flowers: Kaizo-ji
In Japan, especially during the Edo period (1603-1868) which was a very long period (265 years) of national stability and peace, gardening and horticulture greatly flourished and were high in favour with the public.
Samurais of those days learned horticulture and gardening eagerly as their spiritual self-discipline and artistic accomplishments along with the swordsmanship and the manners of tea ceremony.
The ordinary people of that time also enjoyed horticulture and gardening in their home gardens and back alleys and enthusiastically went to see various seasonal flowers at the famous spots of flower-viewing as depicted in various Ukiyo-e paintings.
The various garden species of peonies, irises, chrysanthemums, morning glories, lilies and so forth were produced by selective breeding. Although many of these plants were native to China, the iris is an indigenous plant of Japan and its improved varieties have been uniquely developed in Japan.
June 13, 2021
June 20, 2019
June 9, 2016
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