Cherry Blossoms at Jardin des Plantes

 

How did Vincent do it? Painting delicate blossoms (almond in Van Gogh’s case) on a thick gnarly branch is not a piece of cake. 

I loved the Spring window decals in Nerides, just across the street on rue Bonaparte from Pierre Hermé.

Then seeing so many photos on Instagram. Thanks to @thereal-emilyinParis giving me daily updates on petals discoloring and falling, I finally made it to Jardin des Plantes on Thursday.

Watch this 4 minute video on Japanese wood block prints celebrating the Spring tradition of ‘Sakura’. 

Sakura’s significance in Japan is due to its evanescent beauty, which resonates with the Buddhist ethos of life’s illusory nature. The cherry tree blooms en masse during the spring, and its blossoms die within a week of their flowering, making their beauty both intense and short-lived. 

It is during this time that friends and family gather to take part in hanami, or “flower viewing,” by traveling to districts populated by cherry trees. 

Bear insisted on coming.

And on getting a selfie like the others. 

In 1912, over 3,000 cherry trees were bestowed upon Washington, D.C., by Tokyo in an effort to enhance the growing friendship between the United States and Japan. 

Cherry trees typically grew in remote mountain areas; 

However, under Shogun Yoshimune (1716–45), cherry trees were planted in cities as a means of urban beautification and of demonstrating the government’s benevolence. 

This was my first time ‘Flower Viewing’ at Jardin des Plantes just a short walk away from my house. I asked my landlord if he had been and he said “Oh yes of course.” Interesting how Asian cultural traditions have enriched and become embedded in so many other cultures.  I wish you all a lovely blooming day dear PBers 🌸🌸🌸🐻