Begonia, which blooms with a gentle atmosphere throughout the year, has more than 900 original species and more than 15,000 hybrids. The original species exists in the belt-like zone surrounding the equator, excluding Australia. Now because breed improvement is in progress and adapting to the environment around the world, there are really various leaf and flower shapes, textures and patterns. You can enjoy not only the beauty of flowers, but also the unique leaf shape as an ornamental plant. Begonia has separate male and female flowers, and its flower language is “unrequited love.” This is said to have come from the asymmetrical leaf shape, where the left and right sides of the veins do not overlap.

一年を通して優しい雰囲気を漂わせながら咲くベゴニアは900余りの原種と15000を超える交配種があります。原生地は、オーストラリアを除く、赤道を取り巻く帯状の地帯に存在します。今では品種改良も進み、世界中の環境に適応しているため、実にさまざまな葉や花の形・質感・模様があります。花の美しさはもとより、ユニークな葉姿は観葉植物としても楽しむことができます。ベゴニアは雄花と雌花は別々で、その花言葉は「片思い」です。これは、葉脈を中心として左右が重なりあわない、アシンメトリーな葉の形からきたと言われています。

Taisanboku is a member of the Magnolia tribe as same as Mokuren and Kobushi. The Magnolia flowers all have a good scent and are said to be the oldest flower trees on earth. It is this Taisanboku that the Magnolia flower begins with Mokuren blooming in early spring and ends the flowering at last. Taisambo is a tree with a height of 20m, and produces a large, pure white and fragrant flower with a diameter of 20cm from June to July. The shape of the flower retains the oldest appearance. And the contrast between the white of the flower and the deep green of the evergreen and shiny leaves is very beautiful, so the name of Taishan, the famous mountain of China, is crowned with the tree with its neat and majestic tree shape. It also is known as a raw material for perfumes.

タイサンボクは、モクレンやコブシなどと同じマグノリア族の仲間です。マグノリア族の花はどれも良い香りを放ち、地球上最古の花木とも言われます。早春に咲くモクレンに始まって開花の最後を飾るのが、このタイサンボクです。タイサンボクは樹高は20mで、6月から7月にかけて直径20cmの大輪で純白の香りのよい花を咲かせます。花の形は最古の面影を留め、花の白と、常緑で光沢のある葉の深緑色との対比は非常に美しく、端正で威風堂々たる樹形から、中国の名山、泰山の名を被せられました。香水の原料としても知られています。

Due to the recent climbing boom, people who climb the mountains in the Northern or Southern Alps look like a line of ants during the season. Meanwhile, Shiomi-dake in the Southern Alps is an independent mountain that is off the vertical course. So, from here to Aino-dake, there are sparse climbers, and you can enjoy a leisurely stroll through the high mountains. There are also abundant alpine plants, and even when traversing makes you shudder, the flowers that bloom between the rocks calm such your fear.

最近の登山ブームで、シーズンともなれば北アルプスも南アルプスもアリの行列状態です。そんな中、南アルプスの塩見岳は縦走コースから外れている独立峰で、ここから間ノ岳までは登山客もまばらで、ゆっくりと高山の散策を楽しめます。高山植物も豊富で、時には身震いするようなトラバースもありますが、岩間に咲く花々があると、そんな怖さも吹っ飛びます。

I went to “Sakuya Konohanakan” in Osaka Flower Park. “The International Garden and Greenery Exposition, Osaka, Japan, 1990” was held here in 1990, exactly 30 years ago. At the beginning of the plan, it was the first negative growth after the war, and the Japanese economy was so cold that it was said to be “iron cold”. However, with the subsequent bubble economy, it was at its peak when it was held. Large companies competed to build a large pavilion, and when it was over, it was a huge success with more than 23.12million visitors. It is far few from the 64.21 million people at the Osaka Expo, but it was a new record at the special exhibition.

大阪花博公園の「咲くやこの花館」に行きました。今から丁度30年前の1990年にここで「国際花と緑の博覧会(The International Garden and Greenery Exposition, Osaka, Japan, 1990）」が開催されました。計画当初は戦後初めてのマイナス成長で、「鉄冷え」と言われるほど日本経済は冷え込んでおり、開催も危ぶまれました。しかし、それからのバブル景気に乗り、開催時にはその絶頂期に重なりました。大手企業は競って大型パビリオンを建設し、終わってみれば、入場者数が2312万人以上という大成功を収めたわけです。大阪万博の6421万人には遠く及びませんが、特別博覧会での新記録でした。

A princess named Orihime (Vega) lived on the west bank of the Milky Way. Orihime was a master of weaving, and presented it to his father, the Emperor, whenever she wove the beautiful cloth. The Emperor, who was looking for a marriage partner for such a daughter, introduced the hard-working cattle worker Hikoboshi (Altair) on the east bank to Orihime, and they became a happy couple. However, after getting married, the two were just absorbed in love each other without working. The emperor who was angry at this again separated them by separating the Milky Way. However, feeling pity for the two who did nothing but the sadness, the emperor allowed them to meet only on the night of Tanabata(the Star Festival day). Riding on the wings of a magpie (swan constellation), who took orders from the Emperor, the two have crossed the Milky Way and met once a year since the time.

天の川の西岸に織姫(ベガ)というお姫様が住んでいました。 織姫は機織りの名人で、美しい布を織ってはお父様である天帝に献上し、喜ばれていました。 そんな娘の結婚相手を探していた天帝は、東岸に暮らす勤勉な牛使いの彦星(アルタイル)に引き合わせ、二人はめでたく夫婦になりました。しかし、結婚してからは二人は仕事をせず、睦み合うばかりです。これに怒った天帝は再び二人を天の川を隔てて離れ離れにしました。しかし、悲しみに明け暮れる二人を不憫に思った天帝は七夕の夜に限って、二人に会うことを許しました。二人は天帝から命を受けたカササギ(白鳥座)の翼に乗って天の川を渡り、年に一度会えることになりました。

It looks pretty cute, but no plant has such a bad reputation. There are also purple flowers, which are very similar to eggplant and potatoes. If you look closely, there are many spines on the stem and the back of the leaves, and the impression of the appearance will change completely. The origin is North America, but its fertility is strong and it is now distributed all over the world. It is the famous botanist Dr. Tomitaro Makino who named it “eagle eggplant”, so it seems that it was brought into Japan in the Meiji era. In addition to being certified as a “designated alien species” in Shiga Prefecture, importation is prohibited by law in South Korea. The fruits produced in autumn are very similar to cherry tomatoes and, like whole grass, contain deadly poisons and even livestock die. It is a troublesome plant that is not effective against pesticides.

見た目にはとても可愛い花を咲かせていますが、これほど評判の悪い植物はありません。紫色の花もあり、茄子やジャガイモに良く似た花です。近づいてよく見ると茎にも葉の裏にも棘があり、様相が一変します。原産地は北米ですが繁殖力が強く、今では世界中に分布しています。「悪茄子」の命名者は有名な植物学者の牧野富太郎博士ですから、おそらく日本には明治時代に入ってきたようです。滋賀県では「指定外来種」に認定されているほか、韓国では法律で輸入が禁止されています。草全体もそうですが、秋にできるミニトマトに似た実にも猛毒を含み、家畜でも死ぬほどです。駆除剤も効かない厄介な植物です。

Tachi Aoi is also called Rainy season Aoi because it starts blooming just before the rainy season, and flowers gradually grow from the bottom, and flowering progresses to the top of the flower stem at the end of the rainy season. Flowers such as pink, yellow, and dark purple are similar to hibiscus, but because they are native to Asia, they have a somewhat Japanese atmosphere. Since it was been sung in Manyoshu far old times, it has been familiar with people and has signaled the arrival of summer. These traditional flowers are suitable for ornamental use, but many have also been used for medicinal purposes.

立葵は、ちょうど梅雨入りの頃に咲き始め、下から段々と花を付けて、梅雨明けの頃には花茎の頭頂部まで開花が進むので、梅雨葵とも呼ばれます。ピンク、黄色、濃い紫色などの花はハイビスカスに似ていますが、アジア原産なのでどことなく和の雰囲気が漂う花です。 古くは万葉集にも歌い込まれていますから、人との馴染みは深く、夏の訪れを知らせてきました。こうした伝統的な花は、鑑賞用にも向いていますが、多くは薬用にも供されてきました。

The story that Momotaro who was born from Momo(peach) receives a millet dumpling from an old man and an old woman, takes a dog , a monkey and a pheasant with him and goes to Onigashima(the island where demons live) to exterminate demons is one of Japan’s representative fairy tales. As used in Momotaro and Togenkyo(the utopia with peaches), peaches have long been regarded as a fruit of longevity and good luck in Japan and China. Nowadays, the peach which is undergoing varieties improvement is a typical high-grade fruit in summer along with a water melon. It seems that even higher-grade peaches are called honey peaches.

桃から生まれた桃太郎がお爺さんお婆さんから黍団子を貰って、犬、猿、雉を従え、鬼ヶ島まで鬼を退治しに行く物語りは昔から語り伝えられてきた日本の代表的なおとぎ話の一つです。桃太郎とか桃源郷に使われているように桃は中国や日本では昔から不老長寿、幸運の果実として尊ばれてきました。今では品種改良も進み、西瓜とともに夏の代表的な高級果実です。桃の中でも更に高級な桃を水蜜桃と呼ぶようです。

The flowers of lacquer flowers are in bloom in the garden of the house on the walking path. Speaking of which, Kuko was planted in the garden of my house where I used to live. It must have been planted by a big aunt who loves flowers. I don’t remember flowers, but I remember that many red fruits were made in autumn. I sometimes had a Kuko wine by soaking dried red fruit in sake and saying that it was good for my body. When I look it up now, it seems to be a nutritious food. It seems that Yang Guifei also ate the soybeans every day. The purple flowers are very nice.

散歩道に建つお家の庭に枸杞の花が咲いています。そう言えば、昔住んでいた我が家の庭にも枸杞を植えていました。花好きの大叔母が植えたのでしょう。花の記憶はありませんが、秋には赤い実が沢山できたのを覚えています。乾燥させた赤い実をお酒に漬け、身体に良いと時々飲まされたことがありました。今調べてみると、栄養価満点の食物だそうです。楊貴妃も毎日枸杞の実を食べていたとか。紫色の花がとても素敵です。

Native species are now endangered. Known as a noble Chinese medicine from ancient times, it has been used as a nourishing tonic and a beautiful voice medicine, especially by people such as Noh, Kyogen, and Joruri’s singing and talking. Since the flowers are beautiful, it has spread as a cultivated variety, but the native species are highly effective as medicinal effects, and so most noticeable items all have been picked up. Originally a strong variety, it grows in places like rock spaces and the crotch of trees. As the years go by, knots are added to increase the length.

自生種は今や絶滅危惧種。昔から高貴な漢方薬として知られ、滋養強壮剤で美声薬として特に能や狂言、浄瑠璃の歌いや語り等の人達に愛用されてきました。花が美しいので栽培種としても広がりましたが、自生種は薬効としても効果が高く、目に付く物はほとんど取り付くされました。元々は強い品種で、岩間や木の股の様なところでも育ちます。年を経る毎に節を増やして丈を伸ばします。