. . . tracking along the concrete courses between bricks . . .
. . . with some leafy liverworts, eddying around the base of Siberian irises . . .
. . . and even sheltering under a spray of yarrow leaves.
I like moss. We all benefit from having our hard edges softened, and moss smooths over the rough places in a most serene manner. My mind was opened to the possibilities of what I had previously considered a nuisance by this array of mosses displayed at the gardens at Ginkaku-ji, the Silver Pavilion, in Kyoto.
In Japan, even the mosses are arranged by status. The sign below reads "Very Important Moss (Like V.I.P.)." At the other end of the hierarchy are the "bad" mosses. Too bad the individual plant labels are in Japanese. I'd like to know who rates the most respect. Maybe sugigoke (Polytrichum commune)?
You can just make out the undulating moss-covered hillside on the opposite bank of this pond at Ginkaku-ji. Serenity.
2 comments:
The rain has been good for the mosses, but I have one friend whose sloping mossy paths have been greatly washed away by the heavy rains and washouts. He says it will quickly grow back. Should the rains ever quit.
I love mosses, and the softening effect they have on patio stones, tree trunks, rocks and the garden nooks. The moss on that stone wall looks great.
Your photos of the moss display at Ginkaku-ji intrigues me. I'm very curious about the ranking system too. Now I'll have to go outside to see if mine look more like the VIPs or those from the lower end.
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