With the first signs of spring weather upon us, cherry blossoms come to mind. In the New York metro area, we have two major displays of these magnificent trees: the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens and Washington D.C. Tidal Basin. Both are true sights to see in their own respects especially when the majority of the tree are in full bloom. If you are planning to visit either location do your research as there are now sites that track the daily bloom stages of these trees – Brooklyn Cherry Blossoms | Washington D.C. Cherry Blossoms. Important things to note: no trees are in full bloom for longer than a week, different varieties of the cherry blossom bloom a various times through the season creating enjoyment at any visit.
Why do cherry blossoms have significance?
“In Japan, the cherry blossom is more than just a beautiful flowering tree. There are thousands upon thousands of cherry blossom trees in Japan, and each year the Japanese people closely anticipate and follow the blossoming of the trees. When the trees are in bloom, people come in large groups with their families and friends to view the flowers and to enjoy festivals with food, drink, and music.
The significance of the cherry blossom tree in Japanese culture goes back hundreds of years. In their country, the cherry blossom represents the fragility and the beauty of life. It’s a reminder that life is almost overwhelmingly beautiful but that it is also tragically short. When the cherry blossom trees bloom for a short time each year in brilliant force, they serve as a visual reminder of how precious and how precarious life is. So, when Japanese people come together to view the cherry blossom trees and marvel at their beauty, they aren’t just thinking about the flowers themselves, but also about the larger meaning and deep cultural tradition the cherry blossom tree.” [1]
“Each year, the National Cherry Blossom Festival commemorates the 1912 gift of 3,000 cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo to the city of Washington, DC. The gift and annual celebration honor the lasting friendship between the United States and Japan and the continued close relationship between the two countries.” [2]
Brooklyn Botantical Gardens
990 Washington Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11225
Note: The Gardens have three entrances
Washington DC Tidal Basin
701 E Basin Dr SW, Washington, DC 20242
Note: This is the Jefferson Memorial’s address
Photo Credit: CHERRY BLOSSOM WATCH UPDATES // 2017 CHERRY BLOSSOM WATCH, KWANZAN CHERRY BLOSSOMS
[1] – Excerpt from Huffington Post
[2] – Excerpt from National Cherry Blossom Festival
