National Cherry Blossom Festival (Washington D.C., 3/25/'16)
Mar 26, 2016 19:14:07 GMT -5
Post by GaliWalker on Mar 26, 2016 19:14:07 GMT -5
Ever since we moved east from Washington State, I've missed Skagit valley's fantastic tulip fields. My search for a replacement spring flower fix has been only partly successful. Yesterday, I think I finally managed to find something just as good.
In 1912, Washington D.C. was provided with a gift of Japanese cherry trees from the mayor of Tokyo. These were planted in three areas in and adjacent to the National Mall: near the Washington Monument, south of the Mall ringing the Tidal Basin, and in East Potomac Park further south of the Tidal Basin.
Every year, in early spring, the cherry blossoms put forth a magnificent display - which I have somehow managed to avoid these past 6yrs - and the city holds its National Cherry Blossom Festival in celebration. One the blossoms open they only last 4-10days, so one has to constantly monitor the bloom report. This year, I was determined not to miss out. Peak bloom, happening right now, had arrived a week earlier than normal, due to our incredibly mild winter.
Yesterday morning, with the kids on spring break, I loaded them and my camera gear into the car and took off on the 4.5hr drive to the capital. We parked in the southern most of the three cherry blossom locations, East Potomac Park, about a mile from the Jefferson Monument and the Tidal Basin. The rest of the day was spent roaming the entire area - covering about 11mi or so - trying to take in as much of the flowery goodness as we could.
In 1912, Washington D.C. was provided with a gift of Japanese cherry trees from the mayor of Tokyo. These were planted in three areas in and adjacent to the National Mall: near the Washington Monument, south of the Mall ringing the Tidal Basin, and in East Potomac Park further south of the Tidal Basin.
Every year, in early spring, the cherry blossoms put forth a magnificent display - which I have somehow managed to avoid these past 6yrs - and the city holds its National Cherry Blossom Festival in celebration. One the blossoms open they only last 4-10days, so one has to constantly monitor the bloom report. This year, I was determined not to miss out. Peak bloom, happening right now, had arrived a week earlier than normal, due to our incredibly mild winter.
Yesterday morning, with the kids on spring break, I loaded them and my camera gear into the car and took off on the 4.5hr drive to the capital. We parked in the southern most of the three cherry blossom locations, East Potomac Park, about a mile from the Jefferson Monument and the Tidal Basin. The rest of the day was spent roaming the entire area - covering about 11mi or so - trying to take in as much of the flowery goodness as we could.
