I am so excited, I have over 100 pictures of cherry blossoms!
I took my family up to Northern Virginia to visit with my siblings and their families over spring break. Now I had griped and complained because our spring break did not coincide with Easter and therefore did not match up with my family's so we were not going to see that much of those that had to get back to school. However my complaints, which were falling on deaf ears anyway, were immediately eased when I found out we were going to hit peak cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin!
I lived in Northern Virginia until I was nine. And one of my fondest memories was going into D.C. with my family to see the cherry blossoms. I loved going into D.C. anytime but the cherry blossoms are special and so beautiful.
The cherry blossoms are fleeting. They last only a couple weeks and peak bloom cannot be predicted more than ten days before it occurs. The two week Cherry Blossom Festival is centered around April 4th, the average day of blooming.
The 3,020 cherry trees were a gift from Japan in 1912. They are living symbols of friendship between the two nations. First Lady Helen Harron Taft and Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese Ambassador planted the first cherry trees along the Tidal Basin. The Cherry Blossom Festival was established in 1935 as an annual event.
If you ever get the opportunity to go to Washington, D.C. during peak cherry blossom time, GO! You will not regret it.
And now for more pictures...
The Washington Monument
My daughter, always ready to pose for the camera.
My son, not as cooperative!
A personal favorite -- The Lincoln Memorial across the Tidal Basin
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Hi JoEllen,
I'm green with envy! Been to D.C. many times, yet never seen these myself. Great photos and cute kidds!
JoEllen - We have plenty of cherry trees here in the Atlanta area. It really is a joy to see them in full bloom. I did not know that the trees in DC were a gift from Japan. Your pictures are great. I especially like the one looking across the Tidal Basin. Thanks for sharing.
JoEllen,
Those Blossoms are beautiful! We're looking to purchase and plant a couple for our backyard.
Lynda -- The Cherry Blossoms are a must see if you get the chance. What amazed me was the people who live in the area who hadn't been to see these in years. I remember seeing them every year. Yes, the kids are keepers.
Nancy -- We saw numerous cherry trees in bloom on our drive up. The abundance of trees in DC around the Tidal Basin make it such a beautiful sight. The pictures I have looking over the Tidal basin are my favorites. My parents had a picture similar to the one I posted hanging in their home for years.
Michelle -- I would love to plant these in our yard also, but Central Florida just isn't the best place with the intense heat. And although I love to garden I have never had much luck with flowering trees.
I loooooovvvvveeee the cherry blossoms. The closest thing we have in Arizona is the blooming of the citrus trees- which just occurred... the fragrance is a real day lifter.
Great Pictures!! I have been there to see the blossoms, and it is just awesome. Thanks for sharing.