Today I managed to combine a pharmacy errand with a sunny walk + checking up on the progress of spring in the city centre. The first blossoming tree that I've seen this spring caught my eye outside a hotel I passed on my way into town (above). After my errands, I took the way through the city park and along the river towards home.
Magnolia tree, and flowerbed with hyaciths in the foreground.
(The round black building in the background is a restaurant/café.)
If memory serves me right, the big tree to the left is a maple tree.
More cherry blossom at a parking lot by the river.
A cherry blossom, or sakura, is a flower of Japanese cherry trees. (The cherry fruit is from a different species of tree.) Most of the flowers are white or pink with five petals. There are about 400 different types of cherry trees.
Magnolia is a genus of at least 210 species, or more; named after a French botanist, Pierre Magnol. They existed before bees, so are believed to originally having been pollinated by beetles. Fossilized specimens of magnolia have been dated to 20 million (!) years ago.
(Facts picked from Wikipedia articles.)
How gorgeous! the white blossoms against the intense blue sky is stunning. And the first photo of the tree in front of the building is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ginny. The last few days of sunny weather have certainly hurried things along in nature! 🍀
DeleteLove seeing your spring blossoms. They are all amazing! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThanks for "walking along" with me, Barbara!
DeleteA quiet walk framed by early blossoms—cherry blossom and ancient magnolia—turns a simple errand into a gentle reminder of both renewal and deep time.
ReplyDeleteRo, the things one "has to" do become so much lighter when combined with a walk one would gladly have found worth while anyway!
DeleteBlue skies and trees in blossom are so uplifting for the soul.
ReplyDeleteThey are indeed, Addy!
DeleteI am impressed at those magnolia facts, none of which I knew before. AND they are really beautiful trees; you have seen the ones that adorn my whole street for a short while each spring. Long may they remain there!
ReplyDeleteIt's fascinating, isn't it, how a few sunny days bring everything out this time of year (humans included!).
Meike, I don't think I ever knew that about Magnolias either, until looking them up now. - A lot seems indeed to have happened in nature here in just a few days this week. ☀️
DeleteI LOVE all the blossom at this time of year. As for magnolias being pre-bee... well, how fascinating.
ReplyDeleteJenny, it's an explosion of colour after a long winter without much visible change
DeleteSome really pretty Spring colours in your photos, I think every town should have Magnolia trees, have a nice weekend.
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