Mr Stay Puft Posted December 15, 2008 Was in Japan this time last year and took a few shots in Kyoto Bot Gardens... http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo121/m...pg?t=1229332936 http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo121/m...pg?t=1229333042 http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo121/m...pg?t=1229333077 http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo121/m...pg?t=1229333100 http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo121/m...pg?t=1229333121 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Garbage Posted December 15, 2008 You would think the Jap's would have a better eye for detail. Small slow growing solitary cacti never look right as bedding plants surrounded by yards of empty soil. I don't know whether or not i am glad to see extensive corking on stems or not. With a thousand plus years of tree in pot you would think at least the botanical collections would invest in pots specificaly for cactus display. What shape of dish for echinocactus and should it be glazed,if so what colour,pronounced rim,hidden feet,curved taper from rim to foot,inward curving rim? We need some rules! In England at least there are show rules and folks tend to favour the rare square plastic pot for large collections simply because greenhouse space is at a premium and more can be squeezed in. C'mon you Nipponese,show us your wares! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mr Stay Puft Posted December 15, 2008 (edited) What a pissa... i didn't even notice the pots till you mentioned them....They seem to put more effort into their orchid and tropical houses... when i can be bothered ill put some pictures of them up... I've got a few more of the cactus house that ill post soon...I did really enjoy the Gardens their! Edited December 15, 2008 by Mr Stay Puft Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chiral Posted December 16, 2008 I thought the plants looked crap..I expected more from an Asian garden...looks barren, and some look like they are dying. H. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Garbage Posted December 16, 2008 They have seasons in Japan that incudes a cold one. For echinocactus grusonii and other giant barrels with long or recurved centrals i would suggest a round shallow pot with a wide brim of a rim,easy to move. If it were an oval or rectangular one could incorpoate a rock,more space and weight though. Pot rim should not curve inwards,easier to repot. Pot can also taper to the feet,like a bulb dish,the roots are shallow. Pot feet,not sure. Maybe the pot should be no higher than 1/4 that of the plant and spare soil surface no more than 1/8th or the cactus width. I would read with interest a study of cactus and pot aesthetics,seems an unexplored area of horticulture. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mr Stay Puft Posted December 17, 2008 I think your being too hard on the Japs... I used to work at the Melbourne Royal Botanic Gardens... and i myself am a bit o a cactus nut but what they have their kicks arse over the 2x2m cactus house at RBG Melb... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Micromegas Posted December 17, 2008 (edited) I have to agree somewhat with Hunab i think they could have done better, though the picture with all the barrels is awesome. A bot. gardens in Korea I visited was much nicer than this. Thanks for posting the pics though even the fact they don't look all that healthy is interesting. I don't want to be unfair of course, caring for plants is rather difficult IMO but pics 1 and 4 seem to show a bit of neglect, like perhaps energy has been spent elsewhere in the gardens. Edited December 17, 2008 by Micromegas Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
educate Posted December 17, 2008 i like the second one the most. the blue background makes it look like it is in the desert. I bet the water garden was nice! Do you have any pics from there? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Garbage Posted December 17, 2008 Their giant barrel clump is quite effective. I was reading that Kew in London has quite a cactus collection that is not open to the public,they also get staff who have no real interest or skill with plants. Tales of bequeathed collections rotting away. A big slice of money they attract from various sources may well be spent on other activities such as a 'national archive'. The trouble with academics is once the funding has produced a published paper they move on to other fundings,or as soon as their stint at managing to turn up and communicate is over they move on. Also the world of Academia hates to acknowledge the observations of 'laypersons',my mother tells me she discovered the roots of a certain carnivorous plant were killing off competition and since no one else could grow them an Oxford academic requested plants and then published with no mention of the discoverer or where he sourced his material. It's like when the management descend from the air-conned offices to pick the workers brains,presenting someone elses discoveries and work as their own to the rapturous applause of their peers. Makes patenting less problematic. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites