What a beautiful day yesterday was!  My husband and I decided to go to the “Kiku in the Japanese Autumn Garden” exhibit at the New York Botanical Garden.  Wow!  The chrysanthemums were spectacular…floral sculptures in the tradition of ancient Kyoto landscape design.  Here are four different styles…all of which were breathtaking and unusual!

Shino-tsukuri, or “driving rain”, is grown in thirteen pots arranged in two rows with exactly 27 branches in each pot.  The three varieties of petals, each growing in a different direction, give a sense of falling rain.

Ozukuri, or “thousand bloom”, appears to be several plants when, in reality, all the blooms come from one single stem.  With over 200 blooms in each pot, each shoot is trained to grow completely straight.  It’s truly an art!

Ogiku, or “single-stem”, grow up to six feet tall with one, large bloom on the very top.  They are typically displayed in lavender, yellow, and white…colors that symbolize royalty in the Japanese court. [Not pictured]

Kengai, or “overhanging cliff”, features hundreds of tiny chrysanthemums designed to evoke the look of flowers growing on the side of a cliff/mountain.

Our visit was a lovely respite from city living.  It regenerated our spirits and our souls.  If you live in the NY area, take a trip up to these gorgeous gardens.  It’s inspirational.