Still Blooming After All These Years

Great-grandfather's mums are blooming again this year. I transplanted these from a pot into the ground. Check this post.

There are still chrysanthemums in a pot outside the gate. Here they are today:


They are in the second pot between miniature bamboo and Mexican heather. The mums are blooming, but they're scraggly. We had a very hot, dry summer this year. (The Mexican heather did much better than the mums and I did!) Click on the labels below for more posts about chrysanthemums. There are chrysanthemum festivals and competitions here.

Chrysanthemums

This photo was taken at the competition at Jindai Botanical Garden. I forgot to look to see which flower won. This one looks like a winner to me!

Most of the chrysanthemums were tall.

Some were short.

This photo was taken in front of someone's garage.

Click on the label below to see the photos of a chrysanthemum festival in Niigata.

Table Chrysanthemums

Please don't eat chrysanthemums unless they are the right kind. And only if they are cooked. That's what Baba says. She has never used them in cooking before. Neither have I. Big Sister said she has had them in rice.

These packages of chrysanthemums were in an outdoor market. I see them in our grocery store, too. They are picked, cleaned and packaged to be eaten. Don't eat flowers unless you research them first.

Garden Chrysanthemums

These chrysanthemums were cut from our garden. These came from one big plant. It was on the fence next to the fields behind our house. This is the second big bunch this fall. There are some still on the plant. Great-grandfather's chrysanthemums haven't bloomed yet. Maybe they're in shock after I repotted them.

My Big Chrysanthemum

I had always wanted to grow a big chrysanthemum like the ones in the pictures I posted earlier this month. So, I bought three young plants in late summer. Big Sister was too busy to help. Little Brother said he was still watching his rice he planted at school in the summer. I potted them by myself.

I knew it took patience and time and care. I didn't know, however, that several buds would appear at the top of each plant. If all of the buds were kept, I thought, there would be no room for them to grow.

I plucked all but one on each plant. Still, my purple chrysanthemum didn't turn out so big. Big, but not as big as I would've liked. See the yellow one? It won't even be as big as the purple one.

To grow a big chrysanthemum takes patience, time, care and guidance! I need to find a sensei or master (teacher) to teach me. Have a look at the pictures of big chrysanthemums at the fall festivals. Click on the labels below.

On the Way to the Chrysanthemum Festival at the Temple in Niigata

We walked to the temple to see the chrysanthemum festival or kiku matsuri. This Japanese cake shop had chrysanthemums in front.

This is a small shrine in front of the cake shop. My friend said there is sometimes money left next to the figurine inside. There are directions to the temple on it.

This is the entrance to the temple. It was decorated with small chrysanthemums.

Click on the photos to enlarge them.

Chrysanthemums and Tea

These chrysanthemums were just inside the entrance. There were many of them. The two starburst chrysanthemums at the end of the bottom and second shelves had papers with gold paper at the bottom. They had won a competition. I took many pictures of the
chrysanthemums. I have chosen these to post:

This one had a piece of heavy paper under it for support.

This chrysanthemum was given a tree post for support.


This is the base of the chrysanthemum plant. It was planted next to the tree post and was trained to grow up its trunk and on its branches.

There were chrysanthemums everywhere.

There were many chrysanthemums in stalls built especially for them. These stalls had bamboo screens in the back and corrugated plastic for roofs. There were purple sashes at the top. Tea was served near the red umbrella.

This display was on the steps of the temple next to the tea area.



These red chrysanthemums were part of that display.

This was set up on other steps. Kerosene heaters had aluminum tea kettles on top. Trays of tea cups and hot pots for hot water (under the tea towels) were warming in the sun.

We sat near the red umbrella and drank tea. It was served with a slice of pickle and a sweet gumdrop-like treat. I put it next to me on the bench to take this picture. It was nice to sit, drink tea and enjoy the chrysanthemums. There were many bees enjoying them, too.

In Memory of Our Garden's Gardeners

Great-grandfather loved plants. He spent most of his time taking care of his garden. He made his own compost and his plants were healthy. There was always something blooming. Great-grandfather lived until he was 90 years old. He passed away over 12 years ago.

Grandfather, his son, then inherited the garden. He wasn't an enthusiastic gardener, but he enjoyed creating a display of morning glories outside the gate every summer. He watered all of the other plants when they needed it. He passed away three years ago. Now I have inherited the work in the garden. It is a lot of work.

These chrysanthemums were in that white container for many years. They have been outside our garden gate, but they are ours to take care of. Sadly, they have been neglected. There were some candy wrappers and an old tennis ball left in them. Even so, they continued to bloom.


They weren't doing well. Grandmother suggested we throw them away. They have been here for so long. Great-grandfather planted and took care of them. Grandfather watered them. I thought I would repot them. I decided to do it before Appreciation for the Elderly Day (today).

I hope they do better now. I don't make compost, but I do my best. Here is what they look like today. They look better, but I wonder if they will bloom this fall. I separated and cut them back a lot.