Ikegami Baien is a garden in the south of Tokyo with 370 plum trees covering 30 different varieties. This isn't one of those gardens that was created for the naughty whims of the Ronin to be fulfilled in - it belonged to an artist and then a restaurant owner before being bequeathed to the city. It isn't huge but it is plenty big enough and very beautiful.
Plum blossoms are different to the cherry ones in that they are sparser so you don't get the massing of colour - it's more like polka dots. And I do like polka dots.
The blossoms are amazing close up.
There are the pure white, pale pinks and the amazing cerise pinks. There is also a lovely, very subtle, scent in the air. You can
see all my photos here.
As you can see from the photos the weather was perfect and Noriko and I had a wonderful time wondering around taking lots of photos. After half an hour Noriko turned to me and said "I know what you are thinking Alex - you are thinking about how you could make this into a quilt!" So true. I was thinking of this one I saw a while back in a library book.
Now that is cherry and this was plum, but still...kinda wonderful! Cherry bl ossom will be out in a few weeks time. You can be sure I'll be out seeing plenty of that too!
1 comment:
Beautiful. I love Japanese gardens. I used to raise Bonsai. I had one for 17 years and another for 12. I quit when I lost them Too heartbreaking to lose after caring for them for so long. I do want to start again one day. Gorgeous quilt too.
xo jan
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