Kyoto 6--Nijo Castle gardens and Entoku-in
This is the final post of the gardens of Kyoto, Japan. The first two photos are of the main garden in the ancient Nijo Castle, where the government of Japan was centered for hundreds of years until the mid-1800s, when Kyoto was known as Edo. This garden is called the Ninomaru Garden. It has a nice arrangement of pines on mounds with a pond in the foreground. Under one of the pines is a moss garden, Polytrichum commune being the species used. The second photo shows the problem with maintenance, as pine needles continually drop into the moss. And it requires hand removal primarily, as the needles get stuck in the moss.
Photos three and four show another castle garden, Seiyu. Polytrichum is used here, as well, but the garden appears more formal, especially with the bamboo in the background. Bamboo is not used in the gardens of Japan as much as I thought. I like their appearance, and I rarely found them to appear to be thuggish (aggressive in their spreading by rhizomes) as is often stated as a problem.
The last four photos were taken in the temple of Entoku-in. The pleasant entry has moss on either side of a walkway, with Polytrichum mixed with several other genera. The second last photo was taken from inside the temple.
Entoku-in
I would love to have a small clump of bamboo like is shown in this photo of yours. I have never seen a bamboo that looks like this that did run. Scary stuff. I would also have one of those huge black bamboos if it didn't run. They are gorgeous and I love the sound of the wind as it sweeps through the leaves. While I am have a case of the wants I would like to have a lovely mound of moss such are depicted in these photos and the photos of your garden. I become green just looking at these pictures.
ReplyDelete