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Hydrangea Changing from Pale Green to White then to Pale Blue　薄緑から白そして薄青になる紫陽花

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Various types of hydrangeas are now in bloom in Japan and this is one of my favorite hydrangeas because of their color change from pale green to white then to pale blue. But as you see, the flower is not blue and there's a reason for that. Someone cut off the hydrangea I've been observing for the last two weeks before it turns blue!!

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Nuttallanthus Canadensis (Blue Toadflax)　松葉雲蘭（マツバウンラン）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are Nuttallanthus canadensis or more commonly known as blue toadflax. I saw them more than a month ago in a different place, but because it was windy at that time, I couldn't take good photos of the plant. I was lucky to be able to see them again. 

Nuttallanthus canadensis　松葉雲蘭

Blue toadflax　マツバウンラン

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Purple and Pink Lacecap Hydrangeas　ピンクと紫のガクジアジサイ

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are lacecap hydrangeas. I don't usually take close-up shots but as these small pink and purple (2nd photo) flowers (real flowers, not what look like flower petals surrounding these small flowers, which are actually sepals!) are so pretty, I couldn't help but take these photos.  

Below are the shots of hydrangeas I've seen so far this year. Hope you enjoy them, too😉!

Pink lacecap　ピンクのガクアジサイ

Purple lacecap　紫のガクジアジサイ

From above

From above
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Pink Mophead Hydrangea　ピンクの紫陽花

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I've noticed something. I've not posted about any mophead hydrangeas so far this year!! Lacecap (i.e., tea of heaven) and oakleaf hydrangeas are beautiful but typical, mophead hydrangeas like those in these photos are pretty, too. What makes me smile is that they're plump from both the above and side😆!

Below are the shots of hydrangeas I've seen so far this year. Hope you enjoy them, too😉!

Plump from the above　上から見てもこんもり

Plump from the side, too!　横から見てもこんもり
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Colorful Tea of Heaven (Hydrangea Serrata)　色とりどりの額紫陽花（ガクアジサイ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

There're various types of hydrangeas and these are one of my favorite blooms because of their various colors in one bloom ranging pale green to pale pink then to deep pink and purple!

I often wonder which makes flowers look prettier, from the front or side. For these hydrangeas, I would go for the front (meaning above😊)!

Below are the shots of hydrangeas I've seen so far this year. Hope you enjoy them, too😉! 
Kurenai lacecap hydrangea (Hydrangea serrata var. 'Kurenai')




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Feijoa (Pineapple Guava)　フェイジョア

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are flowers of Feijoa sellowiana, also known as pineapple guava. I thought at first they were flowers of a type of bottlebrush, but they have stamens with golden tips, much more gorgeous than bottlebrush flowers.

Feijoa　フェイジョア

Pineapple guava　フェイジョア
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Pink Lacecap Hydrangea (Hydrangea Macrophylla F. Normalis )　ピンクの額紫陽花（ガクアジサイ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I often wonder which makes flowers look prettier, from the front or side. For this lacecap hydrangea, I would definitely go for the side😊! I've posted about blue lacecap hydrangeas several days ago. If you're interested in them, read this post!!

Pink Lacecap hydrangea　ピンクの額紫陽花

Pink Hydrangea macrophylla f. normalis )　ピンクのガクアジサイ
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White Butterfly　白い蝶

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I didn't imagine butterflies sleeping when I was a kid but they do. You may know it and I knew it, but now I know this from my first hand experience. This butterfly I saw this morning didn't move an inch while I was photographing it😁! I believe it's a gossamer-winged butterfly, but I'm not sure. 

Gossamer-winged butterfly　シジミチョウ

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Pink Cousa Dogwood (Cornus Kousa)　紅花山法師（ベニバナヤマボウシ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are Cornus kousa or more commonly kousa dogwood flowers. I wrote about pale green and white Cornus kousa before and completely forgot about the only pink Cornus dogwood tree in my neighborhood😝! 

In Japanese, Cornus kousa was named "Evergreen Buddhist monk" after Enryakuji temple monks. If you're interested in why, read this post😊! 

Pink cousa dogwood　紅花山法師

Pink Cornus kousa　ベニバナヤマボウシ
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Callistemon (Bottlebrush)　ブラシの木

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are flowers of Callistemon, often referred to as bottlebrushes. You can see why😉! I've seen the flowers several times, but never seen such beautifully shaped ones. Also, although it may be difficult to see, the one in the 3rd photo is pink, called Callistemon pink champagne.

Callistemon　ブラシの木

Bottlebrush　ブラシの木

Pink bottlebrush　ブラシの木 ピンクシャンパン
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Ilex Pedunculosa (Longstalk Holly)　戦（ソヨゴ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is Ilex pedunculosa or more commonly longstalk holly. The flower is less than 1 cm in diameter and you can see how tiny it is by looking at the 1st photo of an ant on the flower! I learned about this plant for the first time in May 2021 when Japan declared a state of emergency for Tokyo and other prefectures. Two years have passed since then and now I've returned to pre-Covid life but two things, i.e., an early morning walk and working from home, which luckily has made me healthier.   

An ant on a flower of longstalk holly　ソヨゴとアリ

Ilex pedunculosa　戦
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Oxalis Debilis (Pink Sorrel)　紫酢漿草（ムラサキカタバミ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I went to the Tokyo National Museum last week and found two types of wood sorrel there. One is white oxalis (wood sorrel) and the other is this pink sorrel. I'm now wondering how many colors oxalis has...😉

Oxalis debilis　紫酢漿草
 
Pink sorrel　ムラサキカタバミ
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White Oxalis (Wood Sorrel)　白花酢漿草（シロバナカタバミ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are white wood sorrel (Oxalis) in the garden of the Kujokan tea house in the Tokyo National Museum. I've been to the museum many times, but have spent more and more time walking in the garden and photographing plants than inside the museum seeing the paintings and artifacts😆! I saw annual blue-eyed grass, too. You can enjoy not only art but also plants at the Tokyo National Museum! 

White oxalis in front of the Kujokan tea house　九条館前の白花酢漿草

White wood sorrel　シロバナカタバミ
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Silene Vulgaris (Bladder Campion)　白玉草（シラタマソウ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Which do you like better, the photos taken from the front or side? I like the photos from the side because they clearly show their chubbiness😆!! These are Silene vulgaris or bladder campion, one of my favorite plants!

The name is important. The bladder campion's Japanese name is "Shiratama plant." "Shiratama" are small mochi dumplings used to make traditional Japanese sweets, often served with sweet red bean paste. So, which do you think is better for such a pretty plant, "bladder" or "rice dumpling"? I definitely go for "shiratama rice dumpling"! Imagining many mochi dumplings hanging in the air makes me hungry and smile while thinking of many bladders in the air makes me shudder😱! What do you think?

Silene vulgaris　白玉草

Bladder campion　シラタマソウ
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Japanese Mock Orange (Philadelphus Satsumi)　梅花空木（バイカウツギ）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are Japanese mock orange blossoms (Philadelphus satsumi) in the Imperial Palace East Garden. I went to the park to see the growth of nettle-leaved hydrangea and found these beautiful white flowers! The plant is called "Plum deutzia" in Japan because of the resemblance of the flower to the plum flower. 

Japanese mock orange　梅花空木

Philadelphus satsumi　バイカウツギ
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Hydrangea Hirta (Nettle-Leaved Hydrangea)　小紫陽花（コアジサイ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are Hydrangea hirta, also known as the "nettle-leaved hydrangea," in the Imperial Palace East Garden. When visiting the park last time two weeks ago, I saw them still buds. The hydrangea is called "small hydrangea" in Japan due to its smaller flowers.

Hydrangea hirta　小紫陽花

Nettle-leaved hydrangea　コアジサイ
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Weigela Coraeensis　箱根空木（ハコネウツギ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are Weigela coraeensis. I wrote about another weigela, i.e., Weigela floribunda, last month but I like Weigela coraeensis better because the flower changes its color from white to pale pink, then to reddish purple! Because of such a change, Weigela coraeensis means "fickleness" in the Japanese floriography.

Weigela coraeensis　ハコネウツギ

Weigela coraeensis means "fickleness" in Japan due to color change　箱根空木

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Passiflora Caerulea (Blue Passionflower)　時計草（トケイソウ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are Passiflora caerulea or blue passionflowers. These clock-like flowers always intrigue me⌚!

Passiflora caerulea - it's ten past ten!　時計草 - 10時10分です！

Blue passionflower　トケイソウ
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