SpringWatch - The blossoms are out!

Although blossom season isn't as big an event in the UK as it is in East Asia, it is still enjoyed by many around the country. This bank holiday (the archaic British term for public holiday which originates from when the Bank of England closed) has been the warmest recorded which means that many families have been enjoying the blossoms and the many other delights of Spring. I don't think I've ever seen so many families, young and old people, dogs enjoying early May as much as over the last few days.

British blossoms are delightful, though they do not have the symbolic meaning that they have elsewhere. In Japanese culture, cherry blossoms (Sakura) are a symbol of the transient nature of life, and are a cultural feature in art, literature and film. The way they bloom en masse, like clouds, conjures classic iconic images of Japan. There is even a hierarchy for work trips to hanami ("looking at flowers") picnics. Its definitely on my wish list to travel to Japan for cherry blossom season, but for now I have to make do with the UK's version, which isn't shoddy at all (I hope you agree):

Lots of shades of colour on this street's blossoming trees.

I like the juxtaposition of the pink blossom and the blue sky (which can be a rarity for this time of the year in the UK)

Here I am under a particularly blooming tree, taken with an old iphone camera.