As we enter summer, sakura have long since scattered in the wind, but summer brings its own seasonal blooms. Geshi marks the summer solstice in Japan's "24 Sekki" seasonal calendar.  This happens amid Japan’s rainy season, tsuyu, which literally means 'plum rain', as this season coincides with the ripening of plums. It also welcomes the dusky, cool-toned blooms of ajisai, or hydrangeas. With colors ranging from white, to pink, lavender, purple, and blue, ajisai’s varying colors each have specific meanings. Blue, for example, represents love, fidelity, and sincerity. Ajisai’s mutable blooms are influenced by their surroundings, with more acidic soil yielding blue flowers, and more basic soil bringing warmer tones.  These blossoms are revered in Japan and adorn temple gardens and meandering pathways in public parks. Enjoy the cooling blues of the dusky ajisai before the summer heat sets in.