»Romp: In search of blossoms and blooms

»Romp

In search of blossoms and blooms

A spring rite worth exploring

by JASMIN THANKACHEN

Seattle is home to more than a thousand cherry trees donated by Japan as a symbol of friendship. You’ll find them in public gardens, neighborhood landscapes and near popular attractions throughout the city.

Along with other early spring bloomers like daffodils, hyacinths, tulips, plum trees, and magnolias, cherry trees begin to bud in February and peak in March and early April. There’s a 3-to-4-week window before petals fall to the ground, creating spring “snow.”

To see these trees in all their splendor, head to:

The Quad at the University of Washington

The gorgeous 90-year-old Yoshino variety of trees were a gift from Japan. Rows of these trees line the rectangular pathway, usually crowded with people taking photos. Go early in the morning or late in the day for fewer crowds. Track the blossoms on the UW’s webcam of the Quad.

Washington Park Arboretum

You’ll find rows of cherry trees, azaleas, dogwoods and magnolias in this 230-acre garden park, especially as you stroll Azalea Way. The cherry trees here typically peak a couple weeks after the trees at UW. Limited parking is available by the Graham Visitors Center or the Seattle Japanese Garden.

Seattle Japanese Garden

What better place to see cherry blossoms than in a garden setting devoted to Japanese heritage? The Seattle Japanese Garden is a 3.5-acre garden with winding paths that surround a central pond. Blossoms are not grouped together but dotted here and there across the landscape. Walk-ups are welcome during the week, but reservations are highly recommended on weekends. The garden is closed on Monday. Parking is free. Adults 18-64, $8; Youth 6–17, Students and Adults 65+, $4; Children 0-5, FREE.

Seward Park

Seward Park has many of the cherry trees that were gifted to Seattle in the 1900s. You don’t have to travel very far to find them; some are located at the circle garden near the entrance. But don’t stop there. Take a walk around the 2.4-mile Shore Loop trail. The park is stroller- and bike-friendly.

Seattle Center

Cherry blossoms can be spotted all around Seattle Center. Many of the trees are donations from Japan that have taken root over the past several decades. Join the fun at the Seattle Cherry Blossom and Japanese Cultural Festival, April 14-16, 2023.

Kobe Terrace

Located on the northeast edge of the International District, Kobe Terrace is home to several Mt. Fuji cherry trees, which line the paths along the terraced hillside. The trees and the 200-ton stone lantern on the hill are gifts from the people of Seattle’s sister city of Kobe, Japan.

Other great viewing spots

The path around Green Lake is dotted with cherry trees shedding their white and pink petals along the 2.8-mile inner loop path every spring. Jefferson Park is another great viewing spot: the park was gifted 25 young cherry trees in 2012.

Beyond blossoms: Tulips and daffodils

Cherry blossoms aren’t the only early-spring bloom popular in the area. On April 21-23, thousands will make the 90-minute trek to Skagit Valley to view acre after acre of blooming tulips and daffodils during the 38th annual Skagit Tulip Festival. The festival includes three main destinations: Tulip Town, RoozenGaarde and Garden Rosalyn. At the same time, downtown Mount Vernon will host the associated Skagit Street Fair. Garden visit details

General admission to Tulip Town includes parking, entry and a trolley ride (weather permitting). Prices are $15 for ages 12 and older; $7 for kids 6-11; $13 for seniors and military. Kids 5 and younger are free. This spot has a cafe, indoor displays and a retail boutique.

RoozenGaarde charges $15 for everyone older than 2 to see its five-acre garden, 25-acre tulip field and 20-acre daffodil field. It also has a gift shop and tulip market.

Garden Rosalyn showcases beautiful tulip fields during the tulip festival and dahlias between May and early fall. As an added attraction, this park loves local fowl. Festival admission prices can be found on the garden website.

Roads may be congested on days that draw big crowds. Saturdays are generally the busiest, followed by Sundays, Fridays and Mondays (in that order). Rainy days equal smaller crowds.

Tulip festival organizers emphasize that they cannot guarantee when the tulips will bloom. When planning ahead, aiming for midApril is probably safest.