Some Japanese Flowers

Abstract

In the turn towards winter a hedgerow of camellia japonica presents a constellation of buds cast against its deep green foliage, and on the verge of summer the azaleas and rhododendrons at Kenwood House hover close to the ground like brightly coloured clouds embracing the dappled borders and pathways. London gardens and parks offer a range of phenomena that appear to unfold in gradual sequence to reveal the micro phases of each season. The Japanese tradition for cultivating seasonal experience is deeply embedded within layers of cultural practice. Today we are acutely aware of the role the seasons play in the Japanese psyche.