With the arrival of autumn, the shorter days and cooler weather, it is the turn of to chrysanthemums to provide colour in the mixed borders. This is a greatly valued, but still under appreciated plant.

Although more often associated with Japan, Chrysanthemums are believed to have first come from China. An ancient Chinese legend says that some 3,000 years ago an emperor was told that on the Dragon-fly Island in the Sunrise Sea (Japan) there grew a magic herb that would restore his youth, but since only youth could collect it. The emperor dispatched twelve young men and twelve young women to the island. They took with them Chrysanthemums to trade fro the magical herb the emperor required.

After a perilous journey, in which they survived storms and attacks by sea serpents they arrive. However, they found no magic herb and no inhabitants. They decided to stay and planted their golden Chrysanthemums as a link with their homeland.

Not surprisingly the Japanese have a different legend. They say that, in the beginning there were so many gods in heaven that some, including the god Izanagi and the goddess Izanami, were sent to the earth on a cloud-bridge. Once on earth, the goddess Izanami created the gods of the winds, mountains, sea, and others, finally dying upon creating the god of fire.

Izanagi missed Izanami and so followed her to the place of Black Night where she had gone, only to see vile sights and be pursued by the Old Hag of Black Night. Narrowly escaping back to the earth, Izanagi went straight to the river for a purification bath; as he undressed, and his clothes fell to the ground, they turned into twelve gods. His jewels became flowers, one bracelet became an iris, another a lotus, and his necklace a golden chrysanthemum.

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