Ogiku, or single stem, Japanese chrysanthemums are part of the New York Botanical Garden's \"Kiku\" show.
Photo: Joshua Lieberman/Courtesy of the New York Botanical Garden
The upcoming autumn flower show at the New York Botanical Garden is more than just a pretty array of petals. "Kiku: The Art of the Japanese Chrysanthemum," a collaboration between the garden and the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden in Tokyo, presents the species grown in the specific kiku style on a scale never before seen outside of Japan. The art form involves yearlong attention to the plants, which are trained to grow in a variety of special shapes and often presented in regimented patterns. Traditional Japanese garden pavilions, made from bamboo and cedar and adorned with rope and purple cloths and red tassels, shelter the flowers.
Festivities surrounding the show include workshops and demonstrations in ikebana (the Japanese art of flower arrangement) and origami as well as the use of chrysanthemums in Japanese food and wine. Traditional drumming, dance, and musical performances are also part of the programming. The exhibition opens Saturday and continues through November 18.
Festivities surrounding the show include workshops and demonstrations in ikebana (the Japanese art of flower arrangement) and origami as well as the use of chrysanthemums in Japanese food and wine. Traditional drumming, dance, and musical performances are also part of the programming. The exhibition opens Saturday and continues through November 18.
