University of Washington Iconic cherry blossoms | Cherry Blossoms

Last weekend we decided to visit the University of Washington for watching the iconic cherry blossom, here spring is celebrated like any other festival, as nature shows the mesmerizing view of the trees covered with flowers. I was amazed by watching the beauty of the flowers and although I was in a normal dress-up, I saw people there doing a photo shoot in lovely dresses. Even people were involved in maternity photoshoots and traditional dressing for a photo shoot. I thought this is wonderful, I am glad that this time we made it a little early, and the time was perfect for the beautiful flowering trees which were canopied with lovely pink flowers. 

During the onset of the summer season here, the temperature becomes normal, and days become longer, starting from 6 am to 9 pm, a great time to enjoy the day with family and friends. So we were there and saw several trees covered with flowers seems like we were in paradise. Here no one judges you so you can plan for any kind of photoshoot.

There are 29 Japanese cherry trees in the Quad and around 100 total on campus, according to UW Urban Forest Specialists. The annual bloom brings thousands of visitors with picnic baskets and cameras to the Quad each year to enjoy the picturesque show of rosy, pink blossoms. One should plan for the visit not very early but between the mid-march month, as due to weather conditions the flowers seem unpredictable, as they may shed off early. 

History of the Cherry Blossom Festival : 

Originally these trees were planted at Washington Park Arboretum in 1939 conflicting reports say they were either a gift from the mayor of Tokyo in 1912 or purchased for $1.25 a pop the Yoshino, cherry trees were relocated to the quad in 1964 to make room for the construction of 520. Twenty-seven of the quad’s trees are originals from the Arboretum. Then in 2014, the Japan Commerce Association of Washington gifted the university an additional 18 cherry trees, planted at Rainier Vista. Once the trees reach peak bloom when at least 70% of the blossoms have emerged, cooler temperatures, drier weather and lighter winds will keep the blossoms on the trees longer. The university asks that visitors not climb the trees or shake their branches, as this can cause damage.

If you cannot visit the University for Cherry Blossom then also you have several options:

Dozens of varieties of blossoming cherry and plum trees can be found across the states of Washington, including Bellevue, Redmond, Seattle area, etc. with blooms visible from early February until, for some species, up to May. Petal colours range from white to light rose to dark pink, and cherry trees unlike plums have distinct horizontal-line patterns on their bark called lenticels. These help the trees “exhale” or release carbon dioxide and water. Plum trees, which often are mistaken for cherry trees, bloom earlier than most cherries and don’t have lenticels on their bark. The Seattle Department of Transportation maintains this interactive map of trees across the city. 

Parking, sitting area, Visitor centre and Restroom:

There are several parking areas and that is well sufficient even during the weekends. In the compound, you will see several sitting areas for picnic spots. Campus washrooms and restrooms are open during the weekdays. But portable washrooms are available during the weekends. The visitor center is also open during the weekdays. 

So, it was an amazing experience, I was happy to be a part of this festival. Kindly watch the attached video and subscribe to our channel for more information.