Blossom Season
It took a while for Spring to come out of hibernation this year… but it did finally come! After a chilly winter (they always seem wetter and colder than the last, don’t they?) the West Coast’s favourite springtime symbol is back: The Cherry Blossom! Below, we’ve compiled a few ways to celebrate this pink and lovely once-a-year treat…
Take a photo or two or three or….
For natural floral backdrops you really can’t do much better than treetops full of blushing pink blooms. Maybe with a gust of wind you’ll get some petal snow (all the prettiness of that winter stuff minus the scarf and boots!). Why not take advantage of that? Grab your phone or a ‘real’ camera and a couple friends for one of the prettiest photo ops of the season. The Vancouver Parks Board has even put together a map so you can find where the blossoms are on your chosen photo day! So gear up and get out there!
Pretty in pink! From left to right: A fantastic Herschel Backpack in Apricot Blush, Instax instant camera from Fujifilm, bottle of Rose for refreshment after those photos, have snacks delivered in the perfect picnic basket from Vancity Picnic Baskets, don’t forget dessert with lovely Macrons from Bon Macaron Patisserie, a tasseled scarf from Jackson Rowe, and because it’s still spring in Vancouver– a blossom-coloured rain jacket from cult favourite Rains.
Our MacKenzie Heights studio is in the pink… So many blossoming trees only a couple minutes away! See what’s near you on the Parks Board Map
Attend part of the Cherry Blossom Festival
The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival has been celebrating these beautiful blooms for over 10 years. Over the last decade the festival has grown to include a number of events across the city encompassing food, dance, and of course the blossoms! We highly recommend visiting the website for a full list of all the events (see it here!).
Cherry Blossom Picnic (April 14th 12PM-3PM, Queen Elizabeth Park 33rd + Cambie Entrance)
Based off of the Japanese tradition of hanami, sit with friends and family to celebrate spring and appreciate these ephemeral blooms.
Picnic under light pink and ultra blossomy treetops. Photo from Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival/Georgia Straight
Spring Lights (April 14th – after sunset, Queen Elizabeth Park)
The blossoms turn into a blank canvas! Illuminated by light shows and dancers, this is an evening that should be colourful, inspiring, and the perfect Instagram backdrop.
The Spring Lights Festival. Photo found on SpringLights.ca
Sakura Festival at the Van Dusen Gardens (April 14 11AM – 7PM + April 15 11AM – 5PM)
Van Dusen makes the best of its blossoms by hosting the Sakura Festival– a day full of food, culture, and all things Japanese set against a backdrop of sakura.
A still from the “Sakura Days” film by Frank Pan on the festival page.
Bring them home with you…
Forage from your backyard or hunt for cuttings at your local florist to bring a little of that springtime beauty indoors. Find that perfect vessel to bring a little bit of springtime in! We highly recommend sourcing your blooms in a sustainable manner– either from a florist or from your own tree (cutting with very sharp clippers at a 45-degree angle). We love what we found…
We love the proportion of these smaller brass vessels with small cuttings of blossoms. Found via The Decorators Notebook
If you have room for some bigger branches, an arrangement like this makes quite the statement! Found via the Shingled House.
Take a note from one of our favourite local florists (just around the corner from us!) Quince Fine Florals and use a slender blossomy branch to add dimension to a fabulous, full bouquet.
Sometimes simple is best. We love the use of up-cycled jars and jugs to give this arrangement a more rustic feel. Found via Garden Therapy.
We hope you enjoy the blossoms….
