Cherry blossoms get a lot of attention when thinking about spring flowers in Japan. Totally understandable given how stunning they are however there’s another flower which deserves some attention too and that’s the wisteria. Usually flowering after the cherry blossoms have finished the wisterias in Japan are truly extraordinary. One of the very best places to see them is Ashikaga Flower Park.
Ashikaga Flower Park is a large site spread over 9 hectares with many pathways throughout filled with colourful plantings. The star attractions however are the wisteria which have been heavily trained to give amazing results. The original garden, on a different site, opened in 1968 and many of the plants were moved to the current site in 1997.
The main attraction are the enormous wisterias which are trained over extensive trellises so the flowers are easily seen and adored. Their trunks are huge and look like they belong to ancient trees instead of a climbing plant. There are nine large wisterias trained this way and you can walk under and all around each to watch the flowers swaying in the breeze. One of them is reported to be over 160 years old.
With such large plants and an abundance of blooms the perfume is also intoxicating. Before visiting I was hoping to be impressed by the flowers but it hadn’t occurred to me that the air would be filled with their fragrance as well. It was a lovely surprise on the day.
As you’d expect there’s quite a variety of types of wisteria planted at Ashikaga Flower Park. Here’s a dark purple form which has double flowers but on shorter racemes. Flowers aside, just look at that trunk! If you get sick of the purple flowers then there are always the pink options. Here there are several planted to cover this curving pergola.
And the pink continues with this covered bridge. The bridge itself is of classic Japanese design and is the same style that Monet used in his waterlily garden at Giverny in France.
By the way, it’s not all pinks and purples. Ashikaga Flower Park also has this incredible tunnel of white wisteria that runs for 80 metres. It was only just starting to flower when I was there so it’s looking a little bare compared to the other wisterias. Another week and it would be smothered in white.
As if tunnels, bridges and pergolas aren’t enough, there’s also this enormous wisteria wall! Given the sheer size and weight it requires quite sturdy structural support.
It’s also not just about enormous displays at Ashikaga Flower Park. There are also lots of wisterias which are kept small and offer inspiration for what can be achieved in a domestic setting. Of course these do require careful pruning so they’re not set and forget plants. And as a masterpiece of clever pruning just look at this wisteria. It’s been very skilfully sculptured into a stylised small tree. Just breathtaking.
It’s worth mentioning that the Ashikaga Flower Park does have plants other than wisteria. In fact they have lots of lovely plantings throughout the grounds but if you can time your visit for the wisteria blooms you won’t be disappointed.
Ashikaga Flower Park is approximately 100km north of Toyko and can be done as a day trip by train. Best flowering time for the wisterias is mid-April to mid-May. Learn more at https://www.ashikaga.co.jp/english/