13th April: Hanami at Exbury
Hanami (“flower viewing”) is the term used in Japan for the Cherry Blossom Festival. There are cherry trees dotted around Exbury Gardens including the relatively new “Sakura” project and two rows in the approach to the Dragonfly Pond. Despite having been in years past in Japan at Hanami time, I had not realised how fleeting the blossom can be, and last year I missed seeing them at their best. This year I made a few visits to Exbury for my own “Hanami” !
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31st March: The white blossoms in the Sakura Project were out but the Dragonfly Pond trees were only just awakening. |
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7th April: At the Sakura project the white blossoms were fading, the pink blossoms were appearing. At Dragonfly Pond the first blossoms were just beginning to appear. |
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11th April: The Sakura Project blossoms are more or less gone but the Dragonfly Pond trees are definitely coming into blossom. At the Sundial Garden I’m waiting for the wisteria to bloom. |
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12th/13th April: The Dragonfly Pond trees are now in full blossom! |
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20th April: Petals on the ground as well as on the trees! |