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24Characteristics of Hydrangeas and their usage at Japanese gardens in Kamakura area
Kenichiro Fujisaki Retired, Fujisawa city, Kanagawa prefecture, JAPAN kenichirofujisaki@gmail.com
Annotation. The features of planting hydrangeas in the Kamakura region have been studied. Hydrangeas have been planted since ancient times, but they were not planted very often in traditional gardens. After World War II, mass plantings of hydrangeas spread rapidly. They are usually informal gardens rather than gardens. The individual features of the design of the plantings were revealed. Meigetsuin Temple: One blue color for one variety. Temple of Hasedera: rich variety of cultivars. Kosokuji Temple: Planting pots along the garden path. Goryo Shrine: Planted along the railroad. One of the common points is that hydrangeas are commonly seen when traveling on foot or by train. Visitors enjoy the landscape from different perspectives.
Keywords: Hydrangea, Japanese garden, Sequential landscape, Kamakura area
Характеристики гортензий и их использование в японских садах в районе Камакура
Кеничиро Фудзисаки, Пенсионер, город Фудзисава, префектура Канагава, ЯПОНИЯ
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Аннотация. Изучены особенности посадки гортензии в районе Камакура. Гортензии культивируются с давних времен, но в традиционных садах их использовали не так часто. Массовые посадки гортензий быстро распространились после Второй мировой войны, особенно в неформальных садах. Выявлены индивидуальные особенности дизайна r посадках гортензий: 1) Храм Мейгецуин: единый синий цвет для одной разновидности; 2) Храм Хас^дера: богатое разнообразие сортов; 3) Храм Косо-кудзи: приставная культура вдоль садовых дорожек; 4) Святилище Горё: посадки вдоль железной дороги. Одним из общих моментов является то, что гортензии обычно наблюдаются при движении пешком или в поезде. Посетители наслаждаются пейзажем с разных точек обзора.
Ключевые слова: гортензия, японский сад, последовательный ландшафт, область Камакура
1. The form of Hydrangea flowers
Hydrangeas include several species. H. macrophylla and H. serrata (or H. macrophylla sebsp. serrata) are popular in Japan. H. m. f. macrophylla is horticultural cultivars delivered from H. m. f. normalis which is native to Japan. The "f. normalis" have both monocliiious flowers and ornamental flowers, while "f. macrophylla" have only ornamental flowers and doesn't hade monoclinous flowers (Fig. 1). The ornamental flowers have large calyxes and no more produce seeds. t
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Monoclinous flowers
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2. The color of Hydrangea flowers
Many of Japanese may consider the color of hydrangeas to be blue. While peoples of western countries may consider it to be pink. In Japan, acid soil is popular because there is much rainfall. While alkaline soil is popular in western countries. The hydrangeas grown on the acid soil have blue flowers and those grown on the alkaline soil have pink flowers. An easy experiment to show the effect of acidity on the color of the flower was planned. A calyx was cut and lemon juice was dripped on it. The color of calyx was changed from blue to pink (Fig. 2). This experiment is easy and may be nice to show visitors of botanical gardens. The mechanism of color change can be explained as follows (Fig.3). Where the soil is acid, Aluminum ions dissolve in the soil and are absorbed by plants. The Anthocyanins in flowers are combined with aluminum ion and colors blue. While after lemon juice was dripped, the aluminum ions left from anthocyanins and color changed to pink. Some cultivars are sensitive to acidity. But others are not so sensitive and keep their original colors regardless of soil acidity.
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Fig. 2. The change of calyx color after lemon juice was dripped
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Fig. 3. The mechanism of calyx color change
Apprication of the following materials promote blue color of hydrangea flowers.
Aluminum sulphate Ammonium sulphate Potassium sulphate Potassium chloride Abundant water While Excessive application of Phosphoric acid may suppress blue color.
3. The history of hydrangea planting in Japan
Hydrangea is written in poems at latest around 700AD. There are two poems in famous old poetry collection named "Manyo-shu", which literally means a collection of ten-thousand leaves. The oldest one among the known pictures on which hydrangeas are drawn may be "Pine tree and Hydrangea" drawn by Eitoku Kano (1543-1590)1-1. There are pictures of hydrangeas after that era. But the number is not so many comparing to the other popular plants. Hydrangeas are appeared on some books for horticulture in 17th century such as "^MS"(1664) and "^M№^#"(1696). While descriptions of hydrangeas can hardly be found in the literatures written about plants of traditional Japanese gardens2).
It is supposed that the hydrangeas have been planted in gardens of popular houses from old periods. But it may be said that hydrangea had not been so popular in traditional formal Japanese gardens. Nowadays hydrangea is popular plants and there are many famous sightseeing places with hydrangeas in Japan. The mass planting of hydrangeas was rapidly spread after WWII. One of the reasons may be that the new culti-vars of hydrangeas which are bred in foreign countries after imported from Japan by Siebold, a famous scholar, and other persons from 19th century. One more reason may be that some temples in Kamakura area began to plant many hydrangeas in their precincts. A temple official told the reason at a TV interview that they planted hydrangeas on the slope to protect from erosion. Kamakura is famous sightseeing place and there are many visitors to the temples. Then the hydrangeas attract much interest from peoples. Then mass planting of hydrangeas spreads to the other temples, shrines, private gardens, public parks, etc.
4. Hydrangeas in Kamakura area
Nowadays, there are many places which are called as Hydrangea temple or Hydrangea shrine. Hydrangea festivals are held here and there. Kamakura area is special famous among them. Kamakura used to be the capital of Japan since 1185 to 1333. There are many sightseeing visitors there. The characteristics of hydrangea planting in Kamakura area were studied.
(1) Meigetsuin temple
Many hydrangeas were planted in front of the gate to the inner precinct. Most of them is single cultivar "Himeajisai". The flower color is blue and a catch phrase of this temple is the Meigetsuin blue.
Hydrangea in front of the gate There is no hydrangea in the inner garden
Fig. 4. Planting in the precinct of Meigetsuin temple
(2) Hasedera temple
Mass planting of hydrangeas and walking pass are placed in the slope behind main precinct.
Mass planting of hydrangeas on You can watch the ocean from Many hydrangea varieties are the slope and walking path in it upper part of the slope printed and advertised
Fig. 5. Hydrangeas in the precinct of Hasedera temple
This temple plants many hydrangea varieties. Some varieties bred by own temple are included. The appeal point of this temple is variation of cultivars.
Meigetsuin and Hasedera may be the most famous Hydrangea temples. The contrast of strategies of hydrangea planting is interesting. Meigetsuin persists single color and Hasedera persists variations. (3) Kosokuji temple
Several hundred pots planted Hydrangeas are settled along the garden path in the season (Fig.6).
Fig. 7. Hydrangeas along railroad
(4) Goryo shrine
Hydrangeas planted in pots are arranged along the railroad of the train. In addition to this shrine, there planted many hydrangeas along this railroad. Many visitors enjoy the view from the train (Fig.7).
(5) Some other decorations by hydrangeas at the temples in Kamakura area
In addition to regular planting, hydrangeas are decorated in various way. For example, there found hydrangeas in flower arrangement into bamboo culm, floating in the Buddhist Monk's bowl, the drawing of the "Ema" which are wooden plaques that people write their prayers or wishes on (Fig.8).
Fig. 8. Decoration by hydrangeas at temples in Kamakura area (6) Common points of the Hydrangea planting in Kamakura area
Hydrangeas are usually planted in surrounding spaces rather than central places or inner gardens. Hydrangeas are usually planted along garden paths or railways so that people enjoy sequential landscape while walking or riding on trains.
Bibliography
1. Yamamoto T. T i^^OM / Tokyo:Yasaka Shobo Inc., 1981
2. Osawa S., Arai E. ^ ft ^ 3//J. Jpn.Soc.Reveget. Tech 2016. ^ 42. № 2. C 337-343.
