When Mother Nature decides to paint a portrait, she makes sure to use the most breathtaking shades and hues. It was only a couple of months ago, in February, we witnessed the mesmerizing early arrival of Japan’s famed cherry blossoms. Now, here we are nearing May, and the soft pink hues of those flowers have come and gone. For those who are a fan of natural beauty in landscapes, the previously pink Hitachi Seaside Park in Ibaraki Prefecture is now blanketed in blue thanks to a recent bloom of blue flowers.
The flower belongs to a genus of annual herbs in the family Boraginaceae, and is commonly referred to as “baby blue eyes.” Its five-lobed, wheel-shaped flowers range in color from blue to white and may have blue veins; the blossoms measure up to 4 cm (1.5 inches) across. The leaves are divided into five to nine lobes. The plants, sometimes creeping, can grow to about 50 cm tall.
The tiny flowering plants blossom toward the end of spring and are typically found throughout Japan (and even in California). The flowers are particularly famous for their yearly appearance in Hitachi Seaside Park.
Every year, over 4 million nemophila cover the park’s Miharashi Hill, culminating in a dazzling display of rolling—and seemingly infinite—color. As the highest point on the grounds, Miharashi Hill also offers sweeping views of the surrounding landscape, which, in addition to nemophila, is teeming with Technicolor tulips and yellow rapeseed blossoms this time of year.
In the fall, the park’s 30,000 green Kochia bushes turn crimson. Flowers and trees such as Christmas rose, licorice and nerine bloom all year round.
Hitachi Seaside Park presents a great deal of variety. You can wander its many flower and rock gardens, or walk along the seaside via its dune trails. There’s a herb garden and the Miharashi Hill, which offer spectacular views of the surrounding countryside and the Pacific Ocean.
These blue flowers and the landscape remind you of a fairy tale you can walk through.
The annual blossom of these mystical blue flowers draws massive crowds every year.
This is one of the most beautiful displays the park has, and it is completely synced with the natural rhythm of the seasons.
