I always see two large Yama-nomo trees planted in the garden of the sports gym I go to. One of the trees is full of ripe Yama-nomo fruits. There are plenty of fallen fruits around its roots, but most of them have been stepped on and crushed. What’s a wast!. However, since it faces the street, you hesitate to pick the fruits from the tree. In the park too, there is also a place where Yama-nomo trees are planted. Several people gather there, pluck the fruits from the trees, put them in bags, or enjoy eating them. The only drawback is that the seeds are large, but the fruits are pleasantly tart and quite delicious. They used to sell them in stores in the past, but these days they are hard to find. Yama-nomo trees have both male and female trees, but even the female trees can bear fruits on their own. This is because the pollen from the male flowers floats in the air and can travel far away. It is even said that they bear fruits through pollen that flew all the way from China.

いつも通っているスポーツジムの庭に二本の大きな山桃の木が植っています。一方の木には山桃の実が鈴なりです。根っこの周りにも沢山の実が落ちていますが、ほとんどの実が踏み潰されています。もったいない話です。といって、通りに面した場所ですから、木に成った実を取るのも憚れます。公園にも山桃の木が植った場所があって、ここでは三々五々人が集まっていて、木から実を捥いで袋に入れたり、口に頬張ったりしています。種が大きいのが難点ですが、甘酸っぱくて結構美味しいんです。昔は店にも売っていましたが、最近はとんと見かけません。山桃の木は雌と雄がありますが、雌だけでも実を付けます。雄の花粉が空中を漂って遙か彼方にまで飛ぶからです。中国から飛んできた花粉で実を結ぶとも言われているくらいです。

The roses bloomed earlier than usual and have almost finished blooming, and now it’s the season of hydrangeas. Hydrangea gardens everywhere are in full bloom. Lately, there’s no time to leisurely reflect on the changing seasons, although Kenko Hosshi said, ‘It is precisely in the changing of the seasons that things are transient and flavor.’ Since the New Year, not only plants but also the natural changes have been occurring one to ten days earlier. Before you know it, flowers bloom, and before you know it, they scatter, making way for the flowers of the next season. The roses, sensitive to climate fluctuations, bloom earlier than usual, while the tranquil roses bloom as usual. Thanks to this, it feels like the period when roses are blooming this year was longer than usual. The world has completely changed compared to 40 or 50 years ago, and even the natural environment has undergone a complete transformation. I worry about the future, whether this change will bring good fortune or misfortune for the next generation.

例年になく早く咲いたバラの花も咲き切って、紫陽花の季節になりました。どこの紫陽花園も花は満開です。最近は兼好法師が言う様に「折節の移り変るこそ、ものごとにあはれなれ」なんて悠長なことを言ってられません。正月からこっち、草木はもちろん、自然の変化が１週間から１０日は早い。あれあれと言う間に花が咲き、あれあれと言う間に花が散り、次の季節の花が咲いている。気候の変動に敏感なバラは例年より早く咲き、おっとりしたバラは例年通り咲く。お陰で、今年なんか、バラの咲いている期間が何時もより長かった様な気がします。世の中も4、50年前とはすっかり変わってしまったけれど、自然環境まですっかり変わってしまいました。これから先、この変化が吉とでるのか凶と出るのか、次の世代の方々の事が気に掛かります。

Once again this year, the Lupine flowers are blooming beautifully. In Japanese, they are called ‘Noborifuji’ (climbing wisteria) or ‘Tachifuji” (standing wisteria), which refers to their resemblance to wisteria flowers blooming from bottom to top. Indeed, if you turn the photo upside down, they look just like wisteria flowers. However, unlike wisteria, Lupine flowers come in a wide variety of colors, such as red, pink, purple, and yellow. Originally native to North and South America, they are said to be distributed in over 200 species worldwide. I remember there was a restaurant called ‘Rupan’ somewhere, and I thought that it was named after the famous fictional thief Arsène Lupin from the globally renowned detective novel ‘Arsène Lupin, but instead of that, I once heard from the owner that Lupine is called “Rupan” in French. Speaking of which, in the novel, Phantom Thief Lupine is depicted planting Lupine flowers in his garden during his later years. Nowadays, if you mention Lupin, most young people would probably think of the anime character Lupin III. By the way, the English name is ‘Lupin,’ spelled the same as in French.

今年も見事にルピナスの花が咲いています。和名は、花がフジに似て下から上に咲いていく様から、昇藤(ノボリフジ)、あるいは立藤(タチフジ)と付けられています。なるほど、写真を逆さまにして見たら藤の花そっくりです。ただ藤と違ってルピナスの花色は、赤やピンク、紫、黄色などとバリエーションが豊富です。もともとは南北アメリカ原産で、世界中に200種類以上分布しているそうです。どこだったか「ルパン」と言うレストランがあって、あの世界的に有名な推理小説『アルセーヌ・ルパン』の怪盗ルパンから名を取ったのかと思ったら、フランス語でルピナスはルパンと言うんだと店の主人から聞いたことがありまます。そう言えば、小説では、ルパンは晩年に庭にルピナスを植えていたと場面があります。今の子はルパンと言えば、アニメのルパン三世のことだと思うでしょうね。ちなみに英名はLupinでフランス語と同じ綴りです。

From the hedge along the well-traveled road, Duranta is once again gracefully hanging its flowers this year. Among the numerous purple blooms, only Duranta has flowers with white edges. The refreshing appearance of these flowers brings to mind wisteria, but they are smaller and exude an elegant and dignified charm. It is said that there are approximately 30 species of Duranta, primarily found in Central and South America. The variety I am currently seeing is called Duranta Takarazuka. In Japan, three types are popular: Takarazuka, the white-flowered Duranta, and Duranta Lime, which does not produce flowers. Duranta Lime, despite not flowering, is favored for its beautiful leaves that are a shade between green and yellow, resembling the color of citrus fruit lime. All of them are tropical plants and rarely bear fruit in Japan, but it seems they bear fruit abundantly in tropical regions.

よく通る道沿いの生垣から、今年もまたデュランタが涼しげに花を垂らしています。紫色の花はたくさんありますが、白い縁取りのある花はデュランタだけです。清涼感のある花の姿は藤を連想させますが、小ぶりで凛とした気品のある花です。デュランタは中南米を中心におよそ30種あるそうで、今目にするのはデュランタ・タカラヅカと言う品種です。日本では、このタカラズカと白花デュランタと花の咲かないデュランタ・ライムの三種が人気があるそうです。デュランタ・ライムは花は咲きませんが、緑と黄色の中間色で、柑橘系の果実ライムの色をした葉が綺麗で人気があるそうです。いずれも熱帯性植物で、日本ではほとんど実がなりませんが、熱帯地方ではタワワに実がなるそうです。

The fruits of loquat, plum, and raspberry all enter their harvest season during the rainy season. I often find myself bewildered by the rapid transition of seasons. While raspberries are not a very popular ingredient, they have become increasingly common in gardens recently. Raspberries were introduced to Japan in 1873 (Meiji 6) by the Hokkaido Development Commission, which imported 14 raspberry varieties and 5 blackberry varieties from America. However, due to differences in culinary culture at the time and the lack of established cultivation techniques, raspberries were not widely grown in Japan. In recent years, with changes in dietary habits, fresh raspberries are being used in recipes, and raspberry jam, in particular, remains popular. In Japan, they are also known as “kiichigo.” The season when raspberry flowers bloom is April to May, and the season when the fruits ripen is June to July. There are also biennial varieties of raspberries that bear fruit twice a year, and they can be harvested again in September to October.

枇杷の実、梅の実、そしてラズベリー、みんなこの梅雨に収穫期を迎えます。季節の移り変わりの速さに戸惑う事がしばしばです。ラズベリーはあまりポピュラーな食材ではありませんが、最近は庭先にも見かける事が多くなりました。ラズベリーが日本に入って来たのは1873（明治6）年で、北海道開拓使がアメリカからラズベリー14品種、同じくブラックベリー5品種を導入しました。しかし、当時の食文化の違いから受け入れられにくかったことや、栽培技術が確立されていなかったことなどの理由により、広く栽培されるまでには至らなかったとされています。最近は食生活も変わり、取り立てのラズベリーをレシピに加えたり、特にラズベリージャムなどは根強い人気があります。日本ではキイチゴと言った方が馴染みがあります。ラズベリーの花が咲く季節は4月～5月、実が熟し熟す季節は6月～7月です。ラズベリーには1年に2回実がなる二季なり性の品種もあり、こちらは9月～10月にもう一度収穫できます。

There were loquat fruits growing near the nearby field. Whenever I see loquat fruits, it always reminds me of my great uncle. My great uncle was a master of Joruri, using the stage name Tsurusawa Tomoharu. He had disciples in Shikoku and Awaji, and he would regularly go for their rehearsals. During my summer vacation of the third grade of elementary school, I accompanied him to a lesson on Awaji Island, and it was there that I was to perform “Awa Jurobei,” and underwent intense training. Many disciples and villagers gathered at our relatives’ house in Awaji. It must have been a presentation by the disciples. I earnestly performed the learned piece “Awa-no-Jurobei.” When I finished, everyone gave me a big round of applause. Being my first experience, I didn’t understand much of what was happening and was just surprised. However, I remember much more vividly that the kaiseki cuisine we had for lunch was delicious. It was a luxurious meal centered around dishes made with carp that they raise in the lotus pond, and it was the first time I had such a fancy meal in my life.

近くの畑の傍に枇杷の実が成っていました。枇杷の実を見ると決まって思い出すのが大叔父の事です。大叔父は鶴澤友春の芸名を持つ浄瑠璃の師匠でした。四国や淡路にお弟子さんがいて、定期的にお稽古に出かけていました。小学３年生の夏休みに淡島島のお稽古に付いて行き、そこで「阿波十郎兵衛」を語る事になり、猛特訓を受けました。淡路の親戚宅にはお弟子さんや村の人達が沢山集まっていました。お弟子さんの発表会だったんでしょうね。習った「阿波十郎兵衛」を一所懸命に語りました。語り終わると皆さんから大拍手です。初めての経験なので何が何だか分からず、びっくりした事だけは覚えています。その事よりもお昼に出た懐石料理が美味しかった事の方がよっぽどよく覚えています。蓮池で飼っている鮒料理を中心にした懐石料理で、生まれて初めての豪華料理でした。

At the entrance of the neighborhood, once again this year, a splendid peacock cactus is blooming. With its flower resembling the spread wings of a peacock, it seems fittingly named. However, rather than associating it with a peacock, it reminds me of the sun. It becomes even more intriguing considering that it originates from the desert regions of Central and South America. Glossy, translucent petals overlap and form an elegant shape, while delicate stamens, resembling silk threads, surround and protrude from the pistil, creating an appearance akin to a goddess of shamans. Deep within the core of the flower, there is an eternal depth, resembling a black hole, and if you gaze at it for too long, you may feel a mesmerizing illusion as if being drawn into it. In the same family as the peacock cactus, there is a cactus flower called “moonlight beauty,” which seems to represent the universe with its two flowers, the sun and the moon. By the way, the English name for the peacock cactus is Orchid Cactus (a cactus resembling an orchid).

ご近所の玄関先に、今年も見事なクジャクサボテンが花を咲かせています。羽を広げた孔雀の様な花の姿からクジャクと頭に付いたのでしょうが、孔雀と言うよりもやはり太陽を連想します。中南米の砂漠地帯を原産地とすると言うから尚更です。光沢のある透けるような薄い花びらが重なって整形をなし、絹糸のような繊細な雄蕊を群れ従えて突き出た雌蕊はシャーマンの女神の様です。花芯の奥はブラックホールの様に永遠の奥行きがあり、じっと見ていると吸い込まれそうな錯覚に囚われます。クジャクサボテンと同じ仲間に月下美人と言うサボテンの花がありますが、太陽と月、二つの花で宇宙を表している様に思えます。ちなみに、クジャクサボテンの英名はオーキッド・カクタス(ランのようなサボテン)と言います。

Lantana is starting to bloom all at once. This flower is undoubtedly a subject of the wanted worldwide. It has been designated as one of the top 100 invasive alien species in the world. Especially in tropical to subtropical climates, if not properly managed, it spreads everywhere through self-seeding, and in such climates, it is avoided as a “flower that should not be planted.” In temperate climates like Japan, where there are cold seasons, it withers in autumn, so it is not as serious an invasive species as in tropical regions, and it is even planted in gardens as an ornamental plant. Indeed, Lantana has recently become conspicuous. Even with a little soil, it spontaneously blooms alongside roadsides and stone walls. Lantana produces side shoots one after another from early summer to autumn and grows horizontally. Gradually, the flowers bloom, with numerous small flowers of about 1mm square crowded together in one place. As it continues to bloom, you can enjoy not only a single color but also a gradation of colors. That’s why it is called “Shichihenge” in Japanese, meaning “seven transformations.

ランタナが一斉に咲き始めています。この花、世界ではれっきとしたお尋ねもの。世界の侵略的外来種ワースト100に選定されているんです。特に熱帯～亜熱帯気候の土地では、よほどきちんと管理してないとそこかしこにこぼれ種で増えてしまい、そうした気候の土地では「植えてはいけない花」と忌避されています。日本のような寒い季節がある温帯気候の土地だと、秋季には枯れてしまうので、熱帯地方ほど深刻な侵略種ではないためか、園芸植物として庭にも植えられているほどです。確かにランタナはここ最近急速に目につく様になりました。道路脇や石垣など少し土があるといつの間にか一群れのランタナが咲いています。ランタナは初夏から秋まで次々とわき芽を増やし、横に広がって成長していきます。花は1mm四方の小さな花が一か所にいくつもひしめき合って徐々に花が咲ます。咲き進むたびに花色が一色だけではなく、グラデーションのような花色が楽しめます。和名で「七変化」と呼ばれる所以です。

Queen Elizabeth,” a magnificent flower with a serene flower path of 12cm, blooms with large blossoms befitting a queen. This renowned flower was named in honor of Queen Elizabeth of the United Kingdom, who ascended the throne in 1952. “Queen Elizabeth” was created in 1954 by Dr. Walter Lemmerts, a genetics professor at the University of California. Last year, Queen Elizabeth, after a reign of 70 years, passed away at the age of 96. This year, Queen Elizabeth seems lonely.
“Queen Elizabeth” achieved the prestigious status of being inducted into the Hall of Fame at the World Rose Convention held in Pretoria, South Africa, in 1979. The roses inducted into the Hall of Fame are considered “beloved flowers around the world” and are selected by the World Federation of Rose Societies, which consists of 37 countries. They represent the beauty chosen based on their ease of cultivation in any environment and their universal aesthetic appeal. Since the selection of “Peace” in 1976, a total of 18 varieties have been inducted into the Hall of Fame, with the most recent being “Flower Carpet Rose Pink” in 2022.
The stage for the 20th World Rose Convention, which will take place in 2025, will be set in Japan, specifically in Hiroshima Prefecture, where the Fukuyama Convention is scheduled to be held.

悠々とした花径12cmの、花の女王らしい大輪の花を咲かせる「クイーン・エリザベス」。1952年に女王となったイギリスのエリザベス女王の戴冠にちなんで命名された名花です。「クイーン・エリザベス」は1954年にカリフォルニア大学の遺伝学の教授Dr. Walter Lemmertsが作り出しました。そのエリザベス女王は昨年、在位70年を経て96歳の生涯を閉じました。今年のクイーン・エリザベスは寂しそうに見えます。
「クイーンエリザベス」は、1979年に南アフリカのプレトリアで開催された世界バラ会議で殿堂入りを果たしています。殿堂入りのバラとは、世界37か国からなる世界バラ会連合が、3年に1回開催する世界バラ会議において選出する「世界中で愛されている名花」です。世界中のどの環境でも育てやすく普遍的な美意識から選ばれた美しさを持つ、栄誉あるバラたちです。1976年に「ピース」が選出されてから、2022年の「フラワーカーペット ローズ ピンク」まで、今までに18品種が殿堂入りしています。
次回2025年に行われる第20回世界バラ会議の舞台は、日本。広島県にて福山大会が行われる予定です。

The seasonal word for strawberries is early summer. This refers to the time until the 1960s when the prevailing notion was that strawberries were in season from spring to early summer. It was a time when outdoor cultivation of strawberries was dominant. Subsequently, the use of artificial methods such as greenhouse cultivation became popular, creating a spring-like environment to promote early growth. This enabled strawberries to be harvested from around November to December. This technique was developed to meet the increasing demand for strawberries during the Christmas season and to produce high-quality strawberries during the winter period. As a result, now we can enjoy delicious strawberries for a long period of time, and it can be said that the peak season for strawberries is from winter to early summer. The term “strawberries ” is no longer applicable as a seasonal word for early summer.
Western strawberries are said to have been introduced to Japan in the late Edo period, around the 1830s. Since they were brought by Dutch ships, they were called “Oranda Ichigo” (Dutch strawberries) at that time. As agriculture modernized during the Meiji period, various seeds and seedlings from Europe and the United States were introduced, and commercial cultivation using foreign varieties began around 1900. It is said that there are approximately 30 varieties of strawberries available in the market currently, but the number of registered varieties is about 150, and there are about 30 varieties in the process of registration application and disclosure.

いちごの季語は初夏です。これは、「いちごの旬は春～初夏」という考えが一般的だった1960年代頃までの話で、屋外で栽培されるいちごが主流だった時代の話です。その後、ハウスなどで人工的に春の環境をつくる促成栽培が普及し、いちごは11～12月頃から収穫できるようになりました。これは、いちごの需要が爆発的に増えるクリスマスにあわせて、品質の高いいちごを冬の時期から収穫するために考えられた技術です。その結果、現在では「いちごの旬は冬～初夏」と言えるほど、長い期間美味しいいちごが食べられるようになっています。いちごの季語は初夏ですと言えなくなったわけです。日本に西洋いちごが入って来たのは江戸時代末期の1830年代といわれています。いちごはオランダ船によって持ち込まれたので、当時はオランダイチゴと呼ばれていました。その後、明治時代に農業が近代化されるにつれ、欧米からさまざまな種苗が導入されるようになり、1900年ごろには外国品種を使った営利栽培が始まりました。現在市場に流通しているいちごは約30種あるといわれていますが、品種登録数は約150種、さらに品種登録出願公表中が約30種あるそうです。