It is one of the most amazing floral sights you will every likely see. A sea of blue that emerges in late April to mid-May every year in the Japanese prefecture of Ibaraki. It truly is an Instagramer’s dream!
The beautiful flowers known as Nemophila Harmony (Nemophila Menziesii) are truly an astounding sight to behold and are a yearly occurrence that brings tourists from around Japan and further afield. Nicknamed ‘baby blue eyes’ the flowers cover 8.6 acres of the Miharashi hills and it is estimated that there are in total over 4.5 million Nemophila flowers covering the hills during each season. Wow!
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The blooming of particular flowers in particular seasons is actually an integral part of Japanese culture with both natural blossoms and specially planted areas producing a wild array of floral beauty. Indeed, much of the local tourist trade in Ibaraki prefecture is built around the blossoming. This particular blanket of flowers sits within the Hitachi Seaside Park and nearby attractions for tourists include an amusement park, gentle cycling trails and nature treks spread over 190 acres.
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Nemophila flowers are a pretty hardy flower and are found primarily in North America, particularly in the Western United States and Mexico, and can reach up to 30cm in height over a period of 2 years.
You could perhaps even plant your own Nemophila. They grow in medium to warm climates, in fairly moist soil and need a decent watering every day until the flower germinates at 6 weeks. However, after that, they only need moderate attention and a little extra water than usual in the summer. They are particularly well suited for living in rock gardens where they add gorgeous sparks of colour. While you may not be able to plant 4.5 million of these, most garden centres and outdoor centres in the northern hemisphere do stock these little seeds.
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Even though in Japan these natural growing flowers disappear by the start of summer, if you plant yours near the end of spring you will be able to enjoy their bloom all summer long, while also attracting bees and other pollinators to your garden.
Who wouldn’t want a little taste of Ibaraki in their front garden?
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While this is a sight not to be missed by anyone visiting Japan, it is the case that, unfortunately, due to current travel restrictions and the flower disappearing by mid-April, you won’t get to see them this year. However, this just means you have something great to look forward to next year!
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