Beni Hoshi cherry on the Descanso Gardens Main Lawn. Photo provided by Descanso Gardens
The flowering of cherry trees is celebrated around the world as a herald of spring. Descanso Gardens in La Canada Flintridge will welcome the season with a new, Japanese-themed Cherry Blossom Festival on March 19 and 20.
Witness a traditional Japanese tea ceremony – or watch a demonstration of Japanese cooking. Enjoy bento box lunches and a Cherry-tini cocktail in the Camellia Lounge. Take a guided walk of the flowering cherry trees in the Descanso landscape, purchase a cherry tree to take home and get expert advice on cherry tree care.
Festival highlights include: Japanese tea ceremonies, 11 am, 12:30 and 2 pm, Saturday. Witness this traditional ceremony. Seating is limited. Tea and sweets will be sold;
Prunus lecture, 10:30 am, Saturday. The genus Prunus includes stone fruits such as cherries, plums and peaches. Descanso Horticulturist Mike Brown leads a discussion and demonstration on the proper methods for fertilizing and pruning these trees. The class will also learn how to drape trees in order to protect fruit from hungry birds;
Japanese cooking demonstration, 11 am, Sunday. Learn some basics of Japanese cuisine from a professional chef -- be ready to take notes;
Cherry tree sale, 10 am-4 pm, both days. Purchase a flowering cherry to plant in your own garden;
Cherry blossom talk, 11 am and 1 pm, both days. Take a guided walk-and-talk that explores the many cherry trees in the Gardens;
Bento box lunches and Cherry-Tini cocktail, 11 am to 3 pm, both days. Back by popular demand, the Camellia Lounge (located in the Full Moon Teahouse) returns. Purchase a cocktail or a bento box to enjoy on the lawn.
Activities are free with admission: $8 adults, $6 seniors/students, $3 children 5-12; 4 and younger enter free. Descanso Gardens is located 20 minutes from downtown Los Angeles at 1418 Descanso Drive, La Canada Flintridge, near the interchange of the 2 and 210 freeways. Open daily from 9 am to 5 pm. Get details at www.descansogardens.org or (818) 949-4200.
