Although it may be hard to find a Festival Of Cherry Blossom Branches being held anywhere, the branches to play their role, a supporting role if you will, although it is the blossoms which usually get the attention. One can take part Cherry Blossom Festivals across the country from Washington State to Washington D.C. every spring.
From an artistic point of view, probably Asian art as much as anything, the cherry blossom branches contribute as much to a flower arrangement, centerpiece, or cherry blossom theme in general, as do the blossoms themselves. An almost perfect example of a work of art featuring both a branch and the blossoms can often be found as a design on Japanese paper lanterns, those round lanterns suspended from a string, each containing a votive candle. The single branch, with several bunches of blossoms at the end, against the pinkish or off-white paper background is really quite stunning. Asian art in general, and Japanese art in particular, often center on minimalism. While a large bouquet of lovely flowers can dazzle, two or three cherry blossom branches which have just come into bloom, can be every bit as beautiful, but in a different, and perhaps more exquisite, way. Elegance and simplicity often go hand in hand.
Most of us don’t have flowering cherry trees in our yard, so can not easily bring a bundle of cherry blossom branches, still in bud, inside to put in a vase to watch them bloom. Unless one has a neighbor willing to spare a few branches, the local farmer’s market is often a good source for a few branches. A centerpiece of cherry blossom branches is as much a sign of spring as is a bundle of pussy willows, or the season’s first bunch of daffodils.
A Brief Blooming Window – A cherry blossom theme is very popular for weddings, although one has to time things pretty closely. As beautiful as they are, cherry blossoms are quite fragile and the blooming period is not long. A florist can usually do amazing things with cherry blossom branches though, teasing them to bloom at just the right time for a spring wedding. One can always go the route of silk flowers for decoration, and many do. With each passing year, silk flowers look less and less artificial, and more and more like the real thing, and are not a bad choice for a wedding held in late June, weeks after the cherry blossoms have come and gone. Silk flowers are not the only example of cherry blossom decoration which are not the “genuine article”. At a cherry blossom-theme wedding, it’s not at all unusual to find the wedding cake decorated with not only sugar blossoms, but sugar branches twining up the sides of the cake.
Many Species Of Flowering Cherry Trees – The different kinds of flowering cherry trees are usually categorized as Oriental, American, and European, although there are several species of each type. Of the Oriental cherry trees, the Japanese cherry trees make up a fair number of the different species. Although somewhat less hardy as far as a choice for growing one’s own flowering cherry tree, the Japanese cherry tree is very often a favored choice, and the blossoms of the better known Japanese species are nearly always the blossoms of choice for decor at a wedding, party, or reception. Flowering usually begins around mid-April, perhaps closer to May in areas having colder springs. The blossoms burst forth in full glory over a day or two, but remain fresh looking for only about a week. One can often enjoy viewing a carpet of cherry blossom petals on the ground for another day or two. Once the blossoms have died away, the cherry blossom branches remain, having much work left to do.
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