Morris tribune., 1888-03-28
FLOWERS IN JAPAN.
FLORAL WONDERS OF The DAN
Go-ZAkA GARDENS.
Unique and Beautiful Designs In Chrys-
MISUNDERSTANDING Flowerpieces-A
Floral MISUNDERSTANDING, Dragons and
Demons In Blossoua-Landscape Art.

community tend, prune, dwarf and Guilt
vate their plants in peace until the chrys-
anthemums begin to flower. Then Dango-
zaka becomes gay fair. Banners, flags,
remnants, lanterns and gorgeous posters
fill the sides of the steep, narrow street,
holiday crowds trudge up and down, and
before every garden entrance an eloquent
proprietor sits, Turk fashion, on table
covered with q red blanket, and holding
his hands over q hibachi, or brazier OF
charcoal, and sings the merits of his
chrysanthemums. The little gardens
themselves are models Of landscape art;
and arrangement, all SO many poems ms
rocks, trees, vines and flowers. Dwarf
pines, dwarf naples, dwarfed everything,
are ranged in prosaic rows or benches, but
the pet chrysanthemum bushes are now
housed in temporary huts or sheds Of
bamboo mats, in order that not petal
may uncurl or drop, and that they may be
kept at their perfect stage as long as posi-
BILE. Bushes as tall as those in the EN-
peror's garden, covered with as superband
finely tinted blossoms, are there, but not
In such regiments as in the imperial
grounds. These florists, too, have their
bushes bearing 100 and 200 separate and
full blown flowers, and bushes where
skillful grating has made the great top
of variegated blossoms look like one well
arranged bouquet of long stemmed flow
erS.
The specialties of Dango-zaka gardens
are set pieces of flowers that dwarf all
other floral efforts in that line. Under
matted sheds, which are so many tenn
porary stages without footlights, tableaux
with life size figures are arranged. The
faces and hands of the figure are Of wax
or composition, but their clothes and the
accessories and scenery are made OF living
flowers, trained so closely over frame
works that one cannot even suspect
mechanism. The flowers are not clipped,
and wired or toothpicked into place to
wilt in day, but the plants forming the
lower parts OF the pieces grow In the
ground. For the upper courses the plant
is taken. up with all its roots, and they are
wrapped in straw and cloths and watered
Fevery day, as if they were in the ground,
instead of being propped up inside the
skeleton framework. The blossoms are
drawn to the outside and woven into
place, and the most natural effects are
realized in this ingenious way. Groups
Of ladies are literally clad in lowered
gowns, Emonos of white chrysanthemums
being lined with deep crimson or yellow,
and having folds Of pale lilac at the neck.
The tableaux represent scenes from history
and legends, from the latest plays nc the
Shintomiza theatre, and In one case illus
trate the last sensational murder with
which the Japanese newspapers have been
ringing-represented in this latter case by
| a floral Mrs. Druse plunging o dagger
into q prostrate chrysanthemuin man.
In one garden alcove three youngsters
stand around huge vase of evergreens.
From hole In its side gush streams of
white chrysanthemunns and o small boy
| with o distressed countenance and red
chrysanthemum coat. The figures are life
size, and illustrate the story Of the boy
who had presence of mind, and by break
ing hole In the side of q huge water jar,
saved the life Of their playmate, who had
| fallen in and would have drowned. The
| boy in the jar is o common subject with
the artists who embroider OF decorate
porcelain, lacquer OK bronze. In another
garden that il a study Of rocks there Is q
charming little pool in rocky niche,
overhung and almost curtained by trees.
On ledge over the pool sits Edisu, one
of the seven household gods Of luck, clad
in chrysanthemum clothes, and holding q
fishing rod that has just hooked q small
chrysanthemum fish. AS q picture, this
little lone fisherwoman Is the most charm
ing thing in Dango-zaka, and the tiny lit
tie amphitheatre, with its high rocky
walls, its mirror pool and parted curtains
of maple branches, Is worth raving over,
without the contemplative deity being in
troduced.
The great piece Of the year is q scene
from ancient history, where the Empress
Jingo and her councillor, Takenonchi,
stand on the deck Of chrysanthemum
ship, bound for the conquest Of Korea,
and receive omens from the gods Of luck
and the marine deities, over whom lingo
Kogo had control. Only the forward half
of the ship is shown, but that is more
than fifty feet long; a PROV Of yellow
chrysanthemums and a hull Of banded red
and white flowers, riding On deep green
sea fecked with foam of white flowers.
Seeing this life size ship Of living chrys-
anthemums, that has been on view for q
fortnight and is good for fortnight
longer, makes one smile to remember the
tiny floral ships that the florists of the
| western world build up as marvels OF
their art.
The giant of Alazku is q splendid fell
low, thirty feet high, with shoes and
Io"OAO cAO SOAuA44AOu@ Bh1uCuIo VI AASAAy
colored flowers, and the mask face has o
pair Of big rolling eyeballs that hold
Japanese children spellbound. One chrys-
anthemum man fleeing from the giant
has climbed live pine tree, and two
others are hiding behind a messy green
rock One florist has q large landscape
piece, with q waterfall of white chrysaf-
theluums pouring through a gap in o
mountain range and spreading into! @
stream, where huge green dragon with
red eyes and foaming mouth b coiling and
disporting itself. A rustic bridge, car
peted with reddish-brown flowers, crosses
the stream, and achrysanthemum woman
leads a chrysanthemum horse, ridden by
q chrysanthemum man, across the bridge.
The third monumental piece of this season
represents a temple drum and standard,
some thirty feet high altogether, with q
big demon coming out Of one end of it and
terrifying some pilgrims and worshipers
below. This colossal piece and some won
derful chrysanthemum bushes with 200
odd flowers on them are passing attrac-
tions In q garden celebrated for its. beam