Cherry blossoms in Washington

I had no idea that the Japanese had made such a wonderful gift 100 years ago. And I wish I could take such spectacular photographs.

It’s cherry blossom season in Japan too, although not yet up in the frozen tundra where I live. Good times.

Here’s a neat factoid:

Source

Nitpick: by 1952 Eleanor Roosevelt was a former First Lady. The First Lady at that time was Bess Truman.

Carry on.

Thank you, Japan! :slight_smile:

I knew about the cherry trees in Washington but not that they were a gift from Japan, nor the spectacular variety of them. Lovely.

One thing from the accompanying text that concerned me, it says that the average life of a cherry blossom tree is only thirty years. I’ve been nurturing a flowering cherry in my garden since it was a twig. It’s in its late teens now, I’m sad to think it may not even last as long again.

Yeah, I wondered about the protocol for that, but I was too lazy to look it up.

To the Japanese, that’s part of the appeal. The cherry blossoms do not last long, and the impermanence of such beauty is a constant theme in Japanese art and philosophy and a major reason they have such affection for cherry trees. I am sure they find fitting the realization that the tree itself (not just the blossoms) is also impermanent.

I grew up in the DC area. The dogwoods bloom at the same time. Then within days there’s pink and white shit all over the ground. Good times.

I can understand that, just amazed it took me so long to learn this pertinant fact about one of my favourite trees.

We used to love walking around the Tidal Basin in the spring. It really is gorgeous. We were delighted to find cherry trees, magnolias, dogwoods, camellias, and many others here in Portland, which turn spring into quite a show. Also, our Asian pear tree in the front yard is in bloom right now.