With the elegant simplicity of its lightly fragrant April flowers, Rhododendron schlippenbachii (royal azalea) is especially appropriate for gardens influenced by Japanese aesthetics, including our Seattle Japanese Garden.

Yukari YamanoApril 17, 2023

A Japanese Camellia with Lovely Formal Double Pink Flowers, Opening in March

The Camellia japonica located south of the Seattle Japanese Garden’s original gate begins blooming in March with lovely “formal double” flowers. Shell pink, with darker edges and pointed petals, they appear perfectly formed.

Plants and BloomsYukari YamanoMarch 22, 2023Camellia

Distylium Coppertone™, a Newly Available Evergreen Shrub, is Attractive in All Seasons

Coppertone™ is a compact hybrid of the little-known genus Distylium. Like the other exciting new hybrids, Coppertone™ is an easy-care shrub with attractive evergreen foliage, grows well in full sun or part shade, and tolerates heat, drought, and wet soils. All are resistant to disease, insects, and damage from deer & rabbits. (Bailey Nurseries)

In the Garden, Plants and BloomsCorinne KennedyFebruary 24, 2023Distylium, gardening

Way of Tea and the Art of Listening

Chado, Japanese Culture, Tea CeremonyYukari YamanoFebruary 3, 2023tea ceremony, Japanese culture, tea house

The Garden’s Green Legacy Hiroshima Plants: An Update

History, Plants and Blooms, In the GardenYukari YamanoFebruary 3, 2023Greenlegacyhiroshima, Gingko

Oosoji (大掃除), Japanese Big Year-End-Cleaning

In December, the Japanese conduct a year-end-cleaning. They clean houses, schools, offices and public spaces to prepare for the coming New Year. It is called Oosouji (大掃除), which literally means “Big Cleaning.”

Japanese CultureYukari YamanoDecember 9, 2022year end cleaning, cleaning, Japanese cleaning, oosoji, susuharai

A Diary of My Japan Study Tour

In November of 2022, Pete Putnicki, Seattle Japanese Garden Senior Gardener, toured Japanese gardens across Japan. The tour was hosted by the North American Japanese Garden Association (NAJGA) and was joined by garden professionals from public Japanese gardens from seven states. This is a diary of the trip by Pete himself.

The Essential Reading List for 2022

Called 読書の秋 (dokusho no aki) in Japanese, the colder days and longer nights of fall beckon us to read. Blog contributor Corinne Kennedy has compiled an eclectic list of fourteen titles, including ten books for children and teens.

Fall, From Home, Japanese CultureCorinne KennedyNovember 17, 2022fall, books, Japanese culture