Kayoichou Park is situated in Kasuya Town on the edge of Fukuoka City on the island of Kyushu, Japan, and is host to a wide variety of sports facilities, public green spaces, and gardens. The park is arranged around a large central reservoir with a number of peninsulas, coves, and even a small island, all accessible by large, paved pathways. The park is famous for its cherry blossoms in spring, and on the lake’s largest promontory there sits a 1,300 square meter (~14,000 sq. ft.) rose garden boasting 180 rose varieties, comprising 2,600 individual plants. Founded in 2001, it has quickly become a favorite local flower viewing spot.
The plants are in peak flower from early to mid May, with a second, less spectacular flowering period occurring in October. Summers in Fukuoka are too hot and wet to allow good flowering for roses, and winters are too cold. The garden is situated in a zone 9 climate, but overall experiences annual temperatures comparable to Atlanta, Georgia or Charleston, South Carolina.
The garden features several rose tunnels, a number of smaller rose gardens scattered around the lake, many standard (tree) roses up to 2 meters tall, as well as the main garden itself consisting of tiered beds of plants easily accessed by paved trails throughout.
Roses in the garden are of many types including hybrid tea, floribunda, grandiflora, miniature, polyantha, and large flowered climbing varieties. All in all the hybrid tea and floribunda types seem to steal the show. This article is the first part showcasing some of the roses you can see at this modest sized, yet comprehensive garden.
Type: hybrid tea
Flower characteristics: double
Size: 8-10 cm
Fragrance: mild, fruity
Color: light pink
Parentage: Evening Star x Seedling
Comments: Lovely, large flowered, upright growing shrub. Hardy to USDA zone 6 and colder with winter protection.
Type: floribunda
Flower characteristics: double
Size: 6-8 cm
Fragrance: mild
Color: pale lavender
Comments: Beautiful, moderate sized, lavender flowered rose produced locally in Kasuya Town, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan.
Type: floribunda
Flower characteristics: double
Size: 8-10+ cm
Fragrance: mild
Color: pale lavender
Comments: Another lovely lavender colored flower, similar to the previous plant but with larger flowers.
Type: polyantha
Flower characteristics: double
Size: 3-5 cm
Fragrance: mild
Color: red/yellow center
Comments: Fast growing ground-cover up to meter high. Vigorous with clusters of small red flowers throughout the warm season. Also known as R. ‘Harward’.
Type: floribunda
Flower characteristics: double
Size: 8-10 cm
Fragrance: mild
Color: brilliant yellow
Comments: A recent hybrid out of Germany with brilliant yellow flowers. Named after the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima, Japan.
To see the many types of rose in full flower in Kayoichou Park, check out this video:
Type: floribunda
Flower characteristics: double
Size: 6-8 cm
Fragrance: slight
Color: red blend
Parentage: Mullard Jubilee x Eye Paint
Comments: A lovely, short growing shrub with generous clusters of multicolored blossoms. Named in honor of the president of the Royal National Rose Society, Len Turner (1965-1983).
Type: floribunda
Flower characteristics: double
Size: 8-10 cm
Fragrance: none
Color: white/pink blush
Comments: Short growing, floriferous rose out of Belgium, sporting many white and white and pink blended flowers. Also known as R. ‘Lenmar’.
Type: hybrid tea
Flower characteristics: double
Size: 12-14+ cm
Fragrance: classic rose scent
Color: dark red
Comments: Glorious, huge flowered rose, with dark red hue, and upright growing habit. Relatively new hybrid out of New Zealand. One of my favorites in the garden.
Type: floribunda
Flower characteristics: double
Size: 6-8 cm
Fragrance: moderate
Color: white blend
Parentage: Robin Hood x Virgo
Comments: An old reliable vigorous bushy rose, generously flowered, and suitable for general landscape use in sunny locations. Hardy to at least USDA zone 5. Also known as R. ‘Schneewittchen’.
Type: floribunda
Flower characteristics: semi-double/double
Size: 8-10 cm
Fragrance: mild
Color: orange blend
Parentage: Rêve de Capri × Chanteclerc
Comments: A lovely orange flowered floribunda rose with salmon shading on the older flowers. Relatively short growing, up to about a meter high. Named after the famous Anne Frank.
Check here for part II to see more rose varieties at Kayoichou Park.