Milpitas Camera Club Field Trip
Field Trip: Hakone Gardens
Trip Date: April 19, 2008
Report Author: Scott Hinrichs
Report Date: April 21, 2008

The Hakone Gardens field trip, held Saturday, April 19, was sparsly attended, probably due in part to the preparations being made for the camera club annual show, just two weeks down the line.

I can't remember if Id ever come to Hakone in April, but I will make it a point to try to schedule future field trips in early to mid-April. The park was absolutely spectacular with the Wysteria in bloom and the Japanese Maple clothed in its early rust-colored foliage, which contrasted with the bright spring green of the other trees. Those who didn't attend missed an absolutely spectacular day.

Unfortunately, the bamboo garden had passed the peak of its early spring verdance and the camilia bushes were all about done with their red, magenta and white fireworks displays. The azaleas (or were they rhododendrons?), however, were covered with eye-popping violet, white and fuchsia colors. There is still time to catch some of the late spring flower bloom before the summer flowers emerge and the green foliage dulls just a bit.

© 2008 S.R. Hinrichs