Early spring blossoms brighten bitter winter days

In these pandemic times, my range has gradually shrunk to only my town and the short commute to the next city where I work, westacross the Edo River. I make the best of it by getting out to walk and cycle within a few kilometers of home.

I'm lucky to be within easy distance of Shimizu Park, one of the oldest and most expansive in my region. The park's variety of plantings means that in nearly every season, there is some natural beauty to delight the senses. 

The plum grove on the south side of the park has just come back to life. It's a treat to see these winter blossoms. While most people think of cherry as the quintessential spring symbol, it was 梅 plum that got Heian era poets all excited. Plum season is my favorite as the groves are seldom crowded, and the plums come in so many varieties and have a range of fragrances from tart to sweet.

A less showy but very fragrant flower I've come to appreciate in the last few years is wintersweet, known in Japan as 蝋梅 robai. The fragrance on the small yellow flowers is pungent, a little spicy, and definitely sweet. There is a row of them near the gate that marks the entrance to the park.

Within the garden of Konjoin Temple at the heart of the park, the gardeners have been nurturing peonies under straw shelters.

Usually, peonies bloom in April and May, but gardeners cultivate cold-hardened versions called 寒牡丹 kanbotan, cold peonies, that are a bit smaller but no less flamboyant than their spring versions.