Winter peony
ⓒRebecca Bugge, All Rights Reserved
Do not use without permission.
In Japan peonies are very popular - generally they are a late spring flower, but in the Edo period they began cultivating winter varieties too, and to protect them from the possibility of snow they grow under these straw 'huts'.
This shot is from the Ueno Toshogu Peony garden, which is a part of the Ueno Toshogu shrine, but with its own entrance fee and only open when the flowers are in bloom (generally early January - mid February, and mid-April to mid-May, but subject to change due to how good the flowers look (!) so this year they actually had a slightly longer winter season), so it can be a bit hard for a tourist to time it.
And I have to say, I am not all that in to flowers, but it is a place that is well worth a visit because it really is quite lovely - and they even played some beautiful, tranquil music in the background. Never had that in a botanical garden before!
Winter peony
ⓒRebecca Bugge, All Rights Reserved
Do not use without permission.
In Japan peonies are very popular - generally they are a late spring flower, but in the Edo period they began cultivating winter varieties too, and to protect them from the possibility of snow they grow under these straw 'huts'.
This shot is from the Ueno Toshogu Peony garden, which is a part of the Ueno Toshogu shrine, but with its own entrance fee and only open when the flowers are in bloom (generally early January - mid February, and mid-April to mid-May, but subject to change due to how good the flowers look (!) so this year they actually had a slightly longer winter season), so it can be a bit hard for a tourist to time it.
And I have to say, I am not all that in to flowers, but it is a place that is well worth a visit because it really is quite lovely - and they even played some beautiful, tranquil music in the background. Never had that in a botanical garden before!