さて、じっくり観賞に入る。
受付でいただいたパンフレットに記載されている通り、親しい仲間内でゆっくり楽しめるよう設計された、贅沢な庭という感がある。およそ1万2270平方メートルの面積があり、四季を通して110種余りの樹木と200種ほどの草花を眺めることができるそうである。本来の自然を残しつつ、違和感ないよう人の手で加工して創作されている。山側では丈の高い樹々が鬱蒼としており、森特有の湿気の籠った空気に満たされているのが面白い。
この研究園は、元の別荘を改修し、1991年から開園しているそうである。ただ、その後21年、閉ざされたまま一般公開されてこなかったが、2012年になって初めて無料で公開されるようになったらしい。
訪れている人が数えるほどしかいない。他人に気兼ねすることなく、園内を自在に、自由に楽しむことができる。飲み屋で尋ね続けて初めて出会えた、知る人ぞ知る熱海の貴重なスポットである。
Anyway, I began to admire it carefully.
As stated in the brochure which I received at the reception, it seemed that this garden was designed luxuriously to enjoy the appreciation slowly with family
and familiar friends. There is the area of about 12,270 square meters. We can
see more than 100 kinds of trees and 200 kinds of flowers through all seasons. The founder made it by processing artificially so that it doesn't look strange with leaving a part of nature. At the side of mountains, the tall trees were thick and
dense. Therefore, it's interesting for me that here's filled with the humid air
which is unique in a forest.
The current research garden was made by renovating the original villa and
open from 1991. Then, it had been closed publicly. But it came to be available
to the public for free for the first time in 2012.
Only a few persons visited here. As I wasn't considerate of others, I could enjoy the garden freely. It is a first precious place for me which only people living in
Atami know by continuing to ask somewhere at Japanese Pub.
今年は、季節外れの暑い日が11月まで続いた(訪問日は、2023年11月30日)。気温の寒い期間が少なかったためであろう。やはり色付きには大分ばらつきがあった。思いの外、緑の葉が残っている。一気に色付いてはいないようである。当日も季節外れな気温で、木漏れ日が暖かく、心地良い。
The unseasonably hot days continued until November this year (I visited here at 30, November). The periods of the cold temperature were fewer. There was the considerable variation in the colors. Unexpectedly, a lot of green leaves still left. They seemed not to change their color all at once. It was the unseasonable
本館から山側への小径を降りていくと、前の記事で紹介したワサビ田に出る。さらに下った”せせらぎの小径”付近では、川面がほとんど見えないほどに赤い落ち葉がぎっしりと埋め尽くしていた。なんだか、紅葉で水面が赤く凍っているようで面白い。
The unseasonably hot days continued until November this year (I visited here at 30, November). The periods of the cold temperature were fewer. There was the considerable variation in the colors. Unexpectedly, a lot of green leaves still left. They seemed not to change their color all at once. It was the unseasonable
temperature at the day. The sunlight filtering through the trees was warm and
comfort.
After I walked down the road from the main building to the mountain's side, I
saw "Wasabi Field" in the river which I introduced at the former article. When I went down more and arrived at "Small Stream Path", I saw the red river. Almost surface was covered by the red leaves. It was interesting that the scene looked like the red freezing river.
石を並べた小径の階段が、視界が開ける”木漏れ陽広場”へと導いてくれる。東屋があり、中に簡素なベンチが設置されている。一息つきながら、池の様子と広場周辺の紅葉を共に楽しむことができた。回遊している錦鯉にはそれぞれの特徴的模様があるので、眺めているだけで面白い。黄色い単色の鯉は、却って目立っていた。
The stairs which were made by arranging many stones leaded me to
"Sunbeams Square" where my sight spread. An arbor stood on the square and
the simple benches were set in it. I could enjoy the status of a pond and the red leaves around the square with taking a rest. I was very interested in many
"Colored Carps" which swam around slowly because each carp had the
different color. A yellow? or golden? carp was conspicuous because of the one color.
もみじの広場の中央には、多様な形状の石を埋め込んで創作した、不思議な円がある。正面には、圧倒されるほど丈の高いイロハモミジが立っている。
In the center of "Maple Open Space", there was the strange circle which was
made by embedding various shape of stones. An overwhelmingly tall "Iroha
Momiji (Japanese Male)" stood near "Maple Open Space".
庭の中央を流れる小川には、所々で真っ赤な欄干の橋が五つ架かっている。場所によって、川幅や水勢が変化している。だが、川幅が狭くても流れが穏やかであったり、あるいは広くとも勢いが激しかったりしていた。散策の途中で気まぐれに遭遇する多様な水流は、耳に心地良い。
Five bridges on which the bright red balustrades stood were built over the
Five bridges on which the bright red balustrades stood were built over the
stream which flew through the center of the garden. The width of the stream
and the speed of the water changed according to the places. Some narrow
streams were calm. But other wide streams were intense. It was comfort for my ears to listen to many kinds of the flowing sounds in the middle of my walking.
山側の小川と庭園の中央を流れる小川が合流した先に、小さな梅林がある。今はどの梅の木もすっかり葉を落としているが、きっと2月の後半あたりからは紅色の花から蠱惑的な芳香を漂わすのだろう。残念なのが、この植物園がその時期に公開していないことである。寒気の最中に咲く花は少ないが、梅は香りで春への期待を膨らませ、悴んだ心を少し和ませてくれる。まあ、近所に熱海梅園があるのではあるが、植物園の梅の開花も併せて観ることができると面白いと思っている。
There was a small plum grove beyond the confluence of the stream from the
mountain side and the stream flowing the center of the garden. Now, all the
plum trees dropped their leaves. I imagined that a lot of the red flowers would
draft the fascinating aroma around the late February. Unfortunately, this
botanical garden don't open in the period. Few flowers bloom during the cold
season. However, we feel the coming of Spring by the fragrance of the plum
flower and soothe our freezing minds. There is a big plum garden near here.
But, if we could see both gardens, it's very precious for us, I think.
梅林を後にして、出口へ向かう。もみじ坂には、低い緑の灌木が歩道沿いに寄り添っている。所々に松や椛が立っている。
門を出て思うに、充分に満喫できた。スタッフの方から折角バスの時刻表をいただいたのだが、梅園までの道のりが短いことが解ったので、徒歩で下ってみることにする。以前、十国峠から夜の峠の下山を試みて、結果が予測できない難儀に出会ったことがある。
あの無謀な道のりと比較すれば大分近い。
After I admired the plum garden, I went to the exit. The low and green shrubs
arranged along the road of "Momiji slope". Pines and palm trees stood here and there.
I thought after going out the gate that I could be satisfied with here fully. Despite that I got a timetable of bus from the stuff, I decided to go down by walk as I
recognized that the plum garden was near this garden on the bus. Before, I
tried to go down from "Jikkoku Touge" at night. At the time, I came across the
hardship that I couldn't predict a result.
This idea was very safe in comparison with that reckless action.