First up, (1) a brief promo for the Shofuso Japanese House and Garden Philadelphia’s West Fairmount Park. Then below the jump (2) the “season opening” video for 2019 at the Anderson Japanese Garden in Rockford, Illinois, followed by (3) a rainy Autumn day (October 2018) at the Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden in Lethbridge, Alberta. Next, (4) cherry trees blooming at the Jardín Japonés in Buenos Aires, in July 2017 (voiceover in Spanish, but there isn’t all that much voiceover anyway). Last, (5) we have the Camellia Grove and Lake Loop at Shinzen Friendship Garden in Fresno, California.
Gardd Fotaneg Genedlaethol Cymru x 4
From the National Botanic Garden of Wales (Gardd Fotaneg Genedlaethol Cymru), first, recent footage of the Japanese Garden, then (below the jump) Daffodil Day, back in March (a great video if you want specific variety names to plant in your own garden). Then, a general promotional video for the garden from 2014, and last, from 2019, a video about Gardd Lles, a wellbeing garden designed and sponsored by the National Botanic Garden of Wales at the RHS Flower Show Cardiff.
Descanso x 3
From Descanso Gardens in Los Angeles County, we have first the blooming wisteria, then (below the jump) a minute of goslings exploring the garden, followed by a guided tour of the lilac garden. (And they have lots more recent videos on their YouTube channel, including tulips, cherry blossoms, a tour of the Japanese garden, and even an 18 minute yoga routine.)
Breathe, Madame, breathe
Once I did a simple one with almost nothing in it: a beach, a reef sculpted from white marble which resembled a wave, a pair of sunglasses, and a swimsuit. And I had Eau d’Orange Verte sprayed into the street. Jean-Louis Dumas’ initial reaction was to say “But Leïla, there’s nothing there!” and then he saw a lady inhale the scent and he said to her, “Breathe, Madame, breathe,” and with that he attracted more people, passed on my story, and there was soon a crowd.
— Leïla Menchari, longtime director of window displays and of the silk colors committee at Hermès; her Tunisian garden was the inspiration for Un Jardin en Méditerranée. Menchari died earlier this month of coronavirus; she was 93. The quote is from Goodbye to Tunisian Hermès Dreamweaver. Remembering Leïla Menchari at Vogue Arabia; you can also read obits at New York Times, Archictectural Digest and Vogue UK. Hat tip to Kevin.
Royal Botanical Gardens x 3
From the Royal Botanical Gardens in Ontario, first, “Come To Your Senses”, a general promotional video from 2019. Then below the jump, from last September, “Tagging Monarch Butterflies at Royal Botanical Gardens”, followed by a more recent video from Head of Education Barb McKean, “The Science of Nature as Stress Relief”.