Sonia and I took an ITT tour up to visit the Ashikaga Flower Park. The park is well known for the wisteria trees. Here is a picture of the Google Maps of our trip.
This time of year, when the wisteria is blooming, the park becomes very crowded. We arrived promptly at 9:00am, when the park opened. By the time we were leaving at 11:00am, the park was significantly more crowded than when we arrived.
The park had several different types of wisteria. There were purple(early blooms) pink(full bloom), and white(not blooming yet). Also, there was a species of double blooming wisteria. We were a little early to see the large wisteria trellis in full bloom. It was beautiful none the less. The smaller trees were at their peak bloom and absolutely stunning.
There was an area set up for hanami under the light pink wisteria. The light pink was reaching peak bloom and very serene. The bottoms of the wisteria are a little blurry because they were blowing in the gentle breeze.
There are two large trees that together make the Large Wisteria Trellis. It was stunning even though it wasn’t in full bloom yet.
There was also a large screen of purple wisteria. It blocked the view of the parking lot. Trees were planted behind the screen and attached in an espalier style.
I didn’t edit the wire holding up the structure. I thought it provided good perspective of how massive the structure was.
The Light Pink Bridge might have been my favorite spot in the park. The wisteria was in full bloom and the scene was truly picturesque.
Another amazing feature was the Wisteria Dome. It was also set up for visitors to enjoy hamani.
There was another large wisteria tree also supported by a huge trellis.
Another beautiful section was off in a smaller side garden. Poppies were planted around the edge of the bed. The contrast between the colors was stunning.
A few more pictures- because it was just so beautiful with so many different colors.
And now for the funny story of the day. I first realized people were watching me / staring at me / taking my picture when we were on the bridge. I mentioned something to Sonia and she said because they think you’re a model. Haha. Jokingly, I posed for her to snap a few pictures. While we were doing this, people waited for her to stop and simultaneously, took my picture as well. Here is the funny shot.
The flattery continued. When we were shopping at the gift shop, one of the workers came up to me and asked where I was from. Chicago is always my response. It’s the last place we lived and it is a place most people have heard of. Anyways, she tells me, “you’re so pretty. You’re hair pretty.” Arigatōgozaimas! But wait, there’s more. We were asked to have our picture taken and to return the favor by a single man. Sure. As he taking our picture, he says, “beautiful! You and the flowers!” Ha! Arigatōgozaimas! The pictures he took.
I felt like a celebrity or to quote Melissa, “Blondzilla.” The compliments were delightful and sweet. However, the sweetest part of the day was the wisteria soft cream.
Next year, I think I will be more bold and potentially drive myself to the Flower Park. I would really love to see the wisteria tree trellises in full bloom. The drive and the crowds would be worth it!
