Planting the Seeds of Your Spring Garden in Japan
It’s never too early to start organizing and planting seeds for a vibrant balcony garden come spring. No urban patio is too small to house an array of seasonal flowers and plants that flourish in the colder months and can bring some green into your life. In the traditional Japanese calendar, the 15 days following Jan. 20 are deemed the coldest time of the year, the last and most harsh period of winter: daikan (period of extreme cold). Yet, within this chill are slivers of botanical awakenings: the daffodils start to bloom and in Western Japan, plum blossoms begin to adorn the trees. Indeed, la...