TM08 ... I visited a maple gardening shop in Milan, Italy... 02, Jun.'00
After finishing my schedule, as there were still a few hours left before my departure from Milan to Tokyo, I visited a maple gardening shop in a residential suburb of Milan.
The shopÕs name was "Gli Aceri di Omate di Mauri Alessandro", and there were countlessly cultivated more than 30 kinds of maple-cultivars. There is a lady who can speak English, so we could spend our happy time on maple trees.They all were readily and frankly talking to me on maples, the masterÕs hobby of collections of Russian religious pictures and up to on Japanese view of religion. Then, I said and explained in unskilled English that I am a Shintoist in January, a Buddhist in August and a Christian in December.
Upper center: Members of "Gli Aceri di Omate"
"Gli Aceri di Omate" ( http://www.aceri.it/ )
Lower right : young trees, what we call "Nomura", These are ordered from not Japan but Holland, a kingdom of cultivars.@ I had a feeling of reality in it with admiration and surprise that Japanese cultivars became more popular like this way in foreign countries than in Japan, though they are originally Japanese cultivars.
TM07 ... A landscape from Torento to Cavalese in Italy ....31.May-01.Jun.'00
I gave a lecture on piano in Cavalese. This town is at 1000m above sea level, on the way of going over the Alps from Italy to Austria, Germany.
It is rich in forest products of needle-leaf trees, has lumber factories and. It is cool in the evening. When I visited, it was fine and the sky was limitlessly blue and clear. We drove around for a short time at a lunch break.
TM06 ... Roadside trees in Milan, Italy ... 30.May-02.Jun.'00
I visited Milan for a business trip. It was the end of May, the beginning of June. Roadside trees that I found on Washington Street in front of my hotel were maples. Those in front of the hotel were Norway maples (Acer platanoides), were great maples (Acer pseudoplatanus) at the place 300m north and were Negundo maples (Acer negundo) at 200m south.
TM05.....Gardening Center in Hamakita City, Japan.....03.May.'00
On May 3.'00, I visited a plants center in Hamakita, taking pictures of other cultivars.
TM04....Spring in the Hyogoshi pass.....03.May.'00
The Hyogoshi pass, the Aokuzure pass and Ashigami Shrine are located between Shizuoka Prefcture and Nagano Prefecture, about 1100m above the sea level.
Fresh leaves are beginning to sprout from trees. I could take pictures of Acer pictum f. ambiguum and Acer carpinifolium for my first time.
TM03.....Spring in Koishikawa Botanical Garden.....30.Apr.'00
I visited Koishikawa botanical garden. I could find out some maples such as Acer palmatum, Acer nikoense, Acer diabolicum. Acer nikoense was in full bloom. I only had my compact camera, so could not take their clear pictures, it was a pity. Let me show you Koishikawa Japanese garden.
TM02.....Spring in a residential suburb of London.....17.Apr,'00
On my way of business trip to England, I visited our factory in a residential suburb of London. Roadside trees in front of the factory were Norway maples (Acer platanoides) , whose scene looked like sprouts of new leaves, which were really all yellow flowers.
TM01.....Atlanta Botanical Garden .....'10.Feb.'00
On my way of business trip to the United States, I visited Atlanta botanical garden located in the center of the city. Though it was still February, the climate of Atlanta felt mild and warm for me, like that of Japan in the end of March. Trees were just before sprouting. I got some copies of the pamphlet from a kind clerk. About 15 species of maple trees were confirmed such as Acer circinatum, A.coriaceifolium, A.griseum, A.henryii, A.leucoderme, A.skutchii. But I unfortunately could not see Acer circinatum, A.coriaceifolium and A.skutchii. Buds of Acer rubrum have already been swelled and rounded, and it seemed to bloom in a week or so. In other species winter buds were only observed yet.
