Yurigahara Park opened in 1983 (Showa 58) as a comprehensive park in Kita-ku, Sapporo. Since then, it has long been a popular place of relaxation for Sapporo residents. Many plants are cultivated here, and various flowers are in full bloom depending on the season. As spring turns to summer, we visited the park to find out what kind of flowers you can encounter. (Interviewed on May 18, 2022) Yurigahara Park covers an area of 25.4 hectares. It is quite spacious, with each area having its own theme and various plants being grown there.

Immediately upon entering the premises there is the Yurigahara Green Center, which has a magnificent greenhouse facility for which there is an admission fee, but this time we will be touring the outdoors.

By the way, just outside the site, lilac trees are planted for about 650 meters, creating a walkway named "Lilac Walk" that is a delight to passersby.

There are many lilacs planted in the gardens. In one section of the Green Botanical Garden, about 50 varieties of lilacs, mainly French lilacs, are in full bloom, filling the surrounding area with a lovely fragrance.

Lilacs are planted around the square, and there are several benches, so it seems like a good place to take a break and admire the flowers. At the time of our visit, there were people eating their packed lunches and reading books.

An area of the lawn under the silo, measuring approximately 80m in length and 15m in width, has been named "Muscari Road." From mid-May, the area is covered with a carpet of blue-purple muscari flowers.

The sight of tulips blooming among the muscari flowers is also popular with visitors. There are 80 varieties of tulips, each with its own unique character! However, at the time of our visit, some of the tulips were past their peak.

You can also get a close-up look at this area from the window of the "Lily Train" which runs slowly through the park. From now on, you can enjoy the roses and lilies that color the early summer from the window. The Lily Train is also recommended for those who have small children or find it difficult to walk around the large park.

Now, let me introduce another plant that is in full bloom right now: the handkerchief tree, which is planted in the "Lily of the World Square."

At first glance it appears to only have leaves, but if you look closely you can see that it has white flowers. There are two bracts that seem to embrace the flower in the center, and they look just like a white handkerchief, hence the name "handkerchief tree."

The handkerchief tree flowers are now in full bloom, and from now on, rare plants that can only be seen in a few botanical gardens in Hokkaido, such as black lilies, Himalayan blue poppies, and magnolia ashai, will continue to bloom. We also have a video showing us walking around the vast Yurigahara Park, so please check it out if you're interested! Be sure to visit Yurigahara Park to see the wide variety of plants.