Saturday, April 10, 2010

Cherries at the Big House Garden

Last year we had an almost complete "wash" of the cherry blossoms, when we got torrential rains just as the cherries were peaking. This year, however, has been quite another story!  I think the cherry trees really enjoyed a colder-than-normal winter, with more than the normal amount of winter rain. 

This first shot shows the beginnings of "Sakura Fubuki," what the Japanese refer to as the "Cherry Blizzard" when the blooms start to fall in the wind.

As the trees mature, there is almost a tunnel of blossoms as one walks behind the greenhouse and the walled garden.  On the left are white Camellia japonica "Mine no Yuki," which have already put on their show for the winter.
This other tree is in the front of the house, and Mr. refers to it as "the tree that only the gardener could love..."  For the past three years it has looked pretty dreadful, covered with moss, lichen, old funky bark, and almost no blooms.  Walking up the driveway now, it's as if this tree is saying, "Don't count me out yet!"

9 comments:

  1. Absolutely stunning! I could almost rip out the roses for that garden.

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  2. They all look other-worldly to me. Like trees with silver blooms! Are these deciduous?

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  3. It's looking beautiful Tim. I love the idea of a Cherry tunnel....absolutely stunning! As for the cherry in the last picture, well, in my book a plants not over until it's dead!

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  4. Very nice, they were spectacular this year. I remember last year the rain hitting it was no fun, and we did not get to enjoy them long. Even if they did not bloom their shape and branching is interesting enough, and of course the lenticels on the trunk as nice interest.

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  5. The spring flowering trees make us forget what we just lived through. Our blooms will be out in a couple of weeks. I say bumble bees out and about yesterday in southern Iowa so that is good.

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  6. Love the Sakura Fubuki trees you're showing. Thanks!
    Greetings from Stockholm.

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  7. I think a lot of plants have responded to the bad winter. Maybe over the past few years they have gotten complacent with a mild winter. This year they figure they should make an extra effort to reproduce, since you don't know what next year will bring.

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  8. Cherrirific! They are so pretty Tim! I wish I had gorgeous trees like that in my backyard .. so magical!

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  9. These trees are absolutely incredible! A tunnel of blossom is such a wonderful description. As for moss and lichen, I have heard that may be a signal of air quality :-)

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