Gardener’s View

Kyoto in February, when the cold is fiercer than any other time of year. It’s not just the chill that comes in the morning and night; even the cold of daytime takes a toll on the body. When snow falls, we wait for it to melt, and when the weather is clear, then we prune the garden’s needle-leaved trees under a perfectly blue sky. Murin-an has many needle-leaved trees, such as yew plum pines, firs, cedars and cypresses, that are mainly planted along its perimeter. Original owner Yamagata Aritomo specifically ordered 50 fir trees planted, and since we know from documentary sources what discriminating tastes he had when it came to trees, our management approach takes his wishes into account. Although the numbers of these trees have diminished today, the ones that have continued growing are now big trees over 10m high. For the needle-leaved trees planted inside the garden, we alternate between using clippers and saws to maintain each tree’s original natural form. The arrival of spring and the season of sprouting buds is just around the corner. Let’s meet at Murin-an, where day by day the look of the garden is changing from winter to spring.