Hydrangea flowers are nurturing tiny creatures.
A baby snail is peeking the world under a leave.
These Hydrangea flowers are in my naighbouring area. The flowers are everywhere and it tells us the flowers are deeply loved by Japanese people.
I happened to see one elderly gardener who was a kind man. According to him, hydrangea flowers are originated in Japan. They were introduced to western countries, developed there and reintroduced to Japan as Western Hydrangea or Hortensia. The native hydrangea flowers in Japan are Big-leaved Hydrangea or Hydrangea macropylla. It is said that the first introduction of Hydrangea macropylla to Europe was 1789 when J.Banks, English scholar, brought them to Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew of United Kingdom.
Big-leaved Hydrangea or Hydrangea macropylla.
Western Hydrangea or Hortensia
The old gardner also told me that at the beginning, all of the flowers are white and gradually turn blue, pink, purple or more.
What color will you turn?
I'm turning pink!
I am turning purple!
This tiny hydrangea is the one which Siebold, German physician,
introduced in his book. He loved Japanese hydrangea
and said to have called them "Otakusa" naming after his Japanese lover.
Visit My World to learn more about our world!!
SO beautiful! it looks lush and lovely there!
ReplyDeleteI've never seen so many examples of this lovely flower. I like that you show the difference between the Western and native. these photos took my breath away. I especially like the "I'm turning pink" photo. thanks for sharing your world Keiko. it's unequaled in its beauty. have a wonderful week.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love your photos. They are all so beautiful and tranquil. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful series!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous flowers and you've captured them so perfectly! Thank you for, not only your superb photos, but the very interesting information you include! Terrific look at your world and a wonderful post for the day! Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteSylvia
I have never seen so many different kinds of hydrangeas! All are lovely. Im mu climate I can grow only a few varieties. Very sad as I LOVE them.
ReplyDeleteHi,Snowwhite.
ReplyDeleteGreat shots!!きれいなアジサイばかりですね！！堪能しました。私も昨日矢田寺に行って沢山のアジサイを撮って来ました！残念ながらカタツムリには出会いませんでした！！やはり雨の季節にぴったりマッチする花です。
lovely hydrangeas and the first capture is my favourite.
ReplyDeleteSo many different types of hydrangea! Each is captured so freshly that I looked at each of them closely, thanks to you.
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous series of close-up hydrangeas! The first photo is very special: the snail is resting on the slightly curving stalk nicely! I rarely see snails these years.
ReplyDeletePink, mauve,and blue hydrangeas are beautiful in my garden and in the nieghborhood, too. Let's enjoy the flowers in season.
Amazing series of beautiful photos! So fresh and lush! You are the macro guru. Love your bokes too. And your composition and cropping is an art in itself! I would love to come back for more! I am now your latest fan. Am following your blog. Please feel free to follow mine. :)
ReplyDeleteExcellent focus in all your shots. I love your photography.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great pictures you have on your blog,they are all so nice !!!
ReplyDeleteyour capture of the snail is simply stunning
ReplyDeleteA lovely collection of hydrangeas!
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting how plants have been moved around the world,not only by humans but by birds,animals and water currents.
The colours are beautifully subtle......my favourite image is of the first small insect.
Enjoy your day!
Ruby
such awesome post u have today. beautiful. loved it thoroughly.
ReplyDeleteI love hydrangeas too. I have some of them in my garden; I bought some at the store, others grew from cutting. Sometimes the color is not always the same that I like the following year, though.
ReplyDeleteThank you for artistic works of flowers again.
As if it's my fleeting daydream, various Hydrangea should change their figures into fire-works in midsummer. とても珍しいの紫陽花をもしっとりした雨上がりのお化粧姿でご紹介頂きありがとうございます。愛される花ですね。
ReplyDeleteI've just read your comment,I think these posts are connecting!
ReplyDeleteJoseph Banks came up in my research too.At this time many of these botanists are likely to have known each other.....they certainly seemed to travel around a lot,despite transport difficulties.
The hydrangeas are lovely - and that first shot with the snail -so exquisite and breath-taking!
ReplyDeleteYour flowers are lovely! We sure could use some of your rain over here! We are have not had much precipitation this year- bone dry & lots of wildfires!
ReplyDeleteThese are wonderful photos! I’ve always found snails.to be appealing with their tiny antenna and curious heads peeking out from their shells. As a child, I loathed to step on a shell in fear of destroying a cozy snail home. These days my thoughts are not quite so warm when I find them eating the leaves in my garden. :)
ReplyDeleteextraordinarily jubiliant photos u have on ur blog. mind blowing.
ReplyDeleteExcellent series of photos with a nice color and exquisite framing, wonderful and beautiful hydrangeas and white snail.
ReplyDeleteThe snail has picked a lovely spot to rest. Your photos of the delicate hydrangeas are wonderful. My favorite is the third to last with the pink-tipped blossoms that remind me of butterflies or little bows. Perhaps we are a bit like the hydrangeas, only showing our true colors after we grow a bit.
ReplyDeleteThe moment.
ReplyDeleteThe space...
Both bring on quietness.
The wet season melody is calm.
Thank you.
ruma
I am a Japanese man. I'm sorry. I donot speak for English to think.
ReplyDeleteWell, the theme of the work of this snowwhite is “Nostalgic Scenery in Rainy Day". I understand there is very delicately and intelligently snowwhite as for the introduction of hydrangea to express Nostalgic.
Is this work seen and isn't there you who visited on the other hand the improving thing ..cannot help the admission.. great scanning techniques of snowwhite though thought by you the awareness of it already?
It is an addition. "Flower language" of hydrangea seems to be "Earnest love. "
On the other hand, it is assumed, "Caprice".
In this case, isn't "Earnest love" "Safety. " for you?
The snail really fits to hydrangeas and they are full bloom here, as well. One of the good thing about this flower is the relatively longer period of flowering (when compared to that of cherry)!
ReplyDeleteYour photos are all beautiful, especially the ones with lovely snail and a bug.
Have a wonderful day.
Exactly what I was thinking! I always look forward to these big lovely flowers when it starts to rain. But as much as I have the image of rain, hydrangea, and snail...I don't think I've ever seen an actual snail like in your first photo! That is perfect :D
ReplyDeleteAlso I thought it was really interesting what you said about all the flowers originally being white. My mom was just telling me that part of the reason the flower changes colors is due to the type of soil. I wonder if that's true?
Gorgeous photos as always, Snowwhite :D
Aren't Hydrangeas just gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteLove your beautiful pictures of the flowers!
Oh! these are amazing. I can hardly believe that the third picture from the bottom is a real flower. It looks like something which has been created from paper. I had no idea that hydrangea flowers came in such different shapes.
ReplyDeleteI was always told that the colour of the flowers depended on the acid or alkaline qualities of the soil. I wonder if that is true.
I am sorry that your comments did not show on my blog. I have been unable to log in to the blog, because I have been away from home. And so I was not able to approve the comments.
I've published the comments now.
Wow... Such colors, so many types of hydrangeas!! Absolutely loved the post, the pics made me del as if I was there among the beautiful nature...
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful day:)
We have recently moved into a home that has very little landscaping. I don't want to change the natural look of the place too much. The house is nestled in the woods, and elaborate landscaping would look out of place here. I also want to be careful not to introduce or encourage any kind of invasive plant. I did, however, plant a hydrangea to add some color. It looks a little lonely by itself. I think it needs some companions.
ReplyDeleteIt is true that the color of the flower depends upon the acidity of the soil. They're like a litmus test. If the flowers are blue, the soil is more acidic. If pink, it's more alkaline. Of course, a gardener can change the color by amending the soil one way or the other.
What a beautiful world! Thanks for sharing this little part of it.
ReplyDeleteI like your header photo too.
Dear my blogger friends,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind comments. Till I wrote this post on Hydrangea, I had known little about them. But, I got precious information from your comments.
Two poems on Hydrangea are mentioned in Man-yo Shu or ancient anthology of poems "Ten Thousand Leaves Anthology" compiled around the 8th century.
Hydrangeas are very interesting flowers. The meaning which Hydrangeas represent differs from country to country. Cold beauty, Haughtiness, Capriciousness and more.
Recently, I have often accompanied with my mother, who is 90 years old. I have had less time to use for myself. I am very sorry that I have been late in commenting and answering.
Thank you. Have a great weekend.
oh your photos are magnificent...the one in which the snail is in perfect alignment with the stem of the plant is stunning! I love the variety of blossoms, I had no idea there are so many kinds of hydrangea!
ReplyDelete! Hydrangeas did not know they originated in your country!
ReplyDeleteIt was fortunate for those of us bring her here, so we can enjoy them.
You know?
I have a pink on a small balcony to my room.
I love seeing her like flowers.
The picture show us are gorgeous and the snail charm.
Have a good weekend
A hug,
Thank you for your kind and interesting comments.
ReplyDeleteI've read some books about hydrangea. They say that flowers change colors depending on the acid or alkaline qualities of the soil. But, I saw some hydrangea bushes had two colors and some of them were on the way to be changing blue to pinkish or reddish purple.
Nature is always mysterious and doesn't give us clear answer.
Have a great week end!
This looks so colorful and such a heavenly place to visit... The colors look stunning, you have captured them beautifully too... Loved the Hydrangeas. Just came here after visiting Redrose, wow... These are lovely flowers.
ReplyDeleteHave a fabulous week:)
In your photos, there is a reflection of this magical world of plants and animals which surrounds you. It feels like I got to walk in the park with you.
ReplyDeleteSo many beautiful photos ... these all strike me as close to home, as I see some of this around me, but you catch it all in such a beautiful manner.
ReplyDeleteWe've got so many snails, I'm constantly pulling them off the wet road and throwing them back into our garden so they don't get crushed.
I can't decide if I want to rainy season to finish or not, because next will come the heat ... and the chattering cicada ...
That is a charming snail!
ReplyDelete