Kyodo World Service, November 23rd, 2007
The ''exquisite beauty'' of Japanese chrysanthemum is being
commemorated in a month-long celebration hosted by the Royal
Horticultural Society at Wisley Garden in southeastern England.
Revered in Japanese culture and featured on the crest of the
imperial family, the origins of the chrysanthemum can be traced back
to the 6th century when plants were brought to Japan from China by
Buddhist monks.
As such, the expertly cultivated flowers are used to form the
centerpiece of a wider celebration of Japanese heritage, art and
culture -- including a photographic exhibition and Japanese
flower-arranging demonstrations -- for visitors to enjoy.
''The RHS at Wisley have been growing chrysanthemums for
numerous, numerous years and we've always had a display of the
flowers in the glasshouse every November,'' Anna Tomkins, spokeswoman
for Wisley Garden told Kyodo News.
''But this year we decided to bring in some extra things,
showing people how the chrysanthemum has impacted on people's lives
in Japan and how, as the national flower, it has influenced things
like clothing and can be found in many aspects of Japanese life,''
Tomkins said.
The dramatic chrysanthemum displays -- which include an
''intriguing range'' of Japanese cultivars such as spider flower
chrysanthemums and the Emperor's Chrysanthemum, Ichi Monji -- are the
result of 10 months of vigilant watering, pinching and staking, and
have been a definite hit with visitors.
''The display has had a brilliant response,'' Tomkins said,
explaining that while some people visited Wisley specifically for the
Japanese event, other visitors were surprised but ''really pleased''
to find the temporary cultural exhibit.
''We've had a superb display of Kazuyoshi Miyoshi photographs
from the Japanese Embassy (in London) on loan to us; we've had
kimonos on display; we've had origami taking place; we've had tea
demonstrations going on and the visitors really enjoy just having
that little bit extra something to see,'' she added.
''Elements of Japan'' runs until the end of November. Green
fingered fans of Japan visiting Wisley will also be able to enjoy the
variety of Japanese plants which thrive in autumn, including the
bamboo collection and Japanese maple trees.
