Deeply rooted in Japanese culture is an appreciation of the four seasons through our gardens.

Over 100 perennials and native trees are planted in the rooftop garden of our main offices. The scenery is never static and changes constantly. Here, we introduce the many faces of our rooftop garden through the seasons.

Let us start with the most vividly colored season, summer. The sun burns bright, heating the asphalt so hot you can feel it through the soles of your shoes. The sunlight reflecting off surfaces makes you squint your eyes. For both plants and humans, this is the beginning of a merciless season.

Clear skies seem to last forever, until a sudden downpour catches you by surprise. Though easily swayed by the weather, with the gift of sunlight and rain the plants grow before your eyes. Truly, it is a snapshot of the processes within the natural world.

The colors show up well even under strong sunlight, but the most enjoyable time of day is sunset, when the colors take on subtle hues.

The harshness of the midday sun has eased, and the days feel shorter. The plants sway gracefully under the softer sunlight.

Not only the sun but the activity of bugs have passed their peak. As though enjoying the last of the summer, or perhaps to soothe the fatigue of summer, the plants seem to take rest and breathe in the cooler air.

The coolness of the evenings ushers in the fall foliage.

The small discoveries: even the undergrowth took on a shot of color, peeking out from shrubs long past bloom.

By leaving the branches and flowers untouched, their sunset silhouettes effortlessly gives the landscape an air of elegance. The rustic effect of seed pods and bare branches and stalks proves that the flowering season, as beautiful as it may be, isn’t the only time you can enjoy a garden.

A garden in the winter may bring to mind an image of a cold, dead landscape. However, for perennials and plants that follow the cycle of the seasons, winter is just as important as the other seasons.

By not trimming until the last minute, the remains of summer growth and flowers can still be enjoyed as part of the garden and gives it an added flavor.

This year the snows covered the whole garden under a layer of white. The flakes drifting quietly down seem to wrap the garden in a bubble of calm, gently preparing it for the next season.

Looking out over the garden during wintertime, sometimes it seems winter is the most beautiful season. “Spring will be here soon. Until then, rest well.” The blanket of snow soothes the garden to sleep.

The snows have melted. The quickest to respond to the arrival of spring are the bulbs. Crocuses, daffodils, hyacinths, and even hellebores bloom, and the buds follow soon after.

The tulips start to open their flowers in patches. As though a signal has gone off, other flowers add their colors. By this point, each day brings changes and every day there is a new discovery.

Spring-like pink and white, light orange, all paint the garden, and it seems a shame to leave. After the winter sleep the plants burst with life, and leaves you with a greater appreciation for the garden.

The landscape created by perennials, bushes, and trees can be enjoyed throughout the seasons in our rooftop garden. The rooftop garden is managed with full consideration to the environment, flora, and fauna under IPM (Integrated Pest Management) and we regularly conduct biological diversity surveys. Through the year many birds and insects come and go, and the garden is a resting spot for not only humans but to them as well.

We at Green Wise consider the rooftop garden to be a symbol of our ideal of “living in step with nature.” We hold many opportunities to share this garden to the local community and our business partners and customers. Please reach out to us from the CONTACT page for more information.