Something different for an evening walk. A walk around the Nottingham University Park to look at the flowering cherry trees.
I had been looking forward to this but after the recent fair weather was wondering if there would be any cherry tree still flowering. Our guide did explain that it had been difficult to pitch the walk at the optimum time due to the mild winter and spring. Predictably we had missed the early flowering trees but as the University Park has over 25 varieties spanning early, mid season and late flowering periods there was plenty to look at.
Most of the varieties are of far eastern origin, being imported in the early 1900s, they heyday of flowering cherry fascination.
We saw a rare Prunus “Tai-haku” which had been rediscovered in a Sussex garden in 1923 and reintroduced back into Japan in 1932 after it had become extinct in its native land. That was sadly past its best so no photograph.
The following photos are mostly of the Prunus “Shogetsu” which at its flowering best, and it know best by its trade name “blushing bride”
One of my favourites is pictured here, the Prunus serrula or Tibetan Cherry which is usually grown for it beautiful and unique glossy red-brown bark and peeling corky bands. The flowers are actually quite insignificant.
A two hour walk around the extensive University park learning more about flowering cherry trees than I knew possible and the whisker tip and drip-tip leaves. A substantial and significant collection of trees. Thankfully the rain held off until the end, but a few rays of late sunshine would have brightened up the photos but alas it wasn’t to be. Still it didn’t spoil the walk and guided tour.
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That looks lovely – flowering cherries and almonds are so pretty, they almost don’t look real!
Yes very abundant flowers. Just a shame the sun didn’t come out for a few minutes.