A friend told me about this 'Accolade' in bloom on Larch north of Cornwall. It's only the second 'Accolade' that's been posted in Kitsilano.
Wow - fortuitous red light next to 'Tai-haku', two trees across from the Armory on Burrard, in full bloom, both beautiful trees. Between them is a 'Hosokawa-nioi', not yet out. I didn't catch a glance at the row of 'Shirotae' on the next block down to the right, but they surely are in bloom now.
Right now is a good time to see several trees in bloom at the location in the previous posting. The 'Tai-haku' still look excellent. The 'Hosokawa-nioi' between them is almost as good as it is going to get. There are still some buds, but most of the branches are dead. I can't guess how long the Parks Board is going to let that tree hang in there before removing it. I see in our Ornamental Cherries in Vancouver book that it's the "conspicuous staminodes" here that distinguish this cultivar from 'Washi-no-o'. If you arrive from or park on 1st Avenue, you can still see 'Shirotae' along the south side of 1st and 'Kanzan' heated by the buildings on the north side of 1st, a small 'Shirotae' in the park, and one 'Kanzan' in the park with one flower cluster open.
I still think the Parks Board blew it by planting 'Tai-haku' in the renovation of this park at Macdonald and Cornwall. The original planting was 'Ukon', which look much more impressive now that the incense cedar has become a bench. It's not like the 'Tai-haku' extend the blooming time, and they don't complement the yellowish 'Ukon' flowers any. Traffic had started moving when I tried to get the 'Tai-haku' photo, with a real camera, not a cellphone.
Here is one low-grafted 'Shiro-fugen' with plenty of room to spread its somewhat awkward limbs. I know it's grafted because of this avium stuff growing from the ground near the trunk. Now the trick will be for me to get the location right on the festival Neighbourhood Maps.
I was not expecting to see these 'Okame' flowers on Country Lane at 5th just east of Maple, just stopped by to convince myself that they weren't out, but there were tons of flowers. Last year they were posted mid-March, along with 'Whitcomb' and 'Pandora'. The 'Whitcomb' at 6th and Maple has some frost-bitten flowers and some sparse new flowers and a lot of buds. I didn't look at the 'Pandora' a block away, am pretty sure they are not open.
This was point-and-shoot without looking. How can these 'Akebono' at Kits Beach not get posted every year? They are a knock-out, still impressive yesterday.
Interesting as I have cycled past that location a couple of times in the past week, once while doing a bike path assessment ride by myself and once on the road going east with a group. Those trees are hidden from the awkward bike path that goes through the parking lot to the north of the road and behind those trees with the often spectacular ocean and mountain views to the north. With a road bike group, there is too much traffic (cars, bikes, pedestrian) to deal with in that area to usually appreciate the scenery. Now road cyclists heading west would get a good view of those trees as that is a slower uphill then.
Yes, from the bike path, they would be competing anyway with English Bay for scenery. From the street, you get to take in both.
Another point and shoot: the 'Tai-haku' trees are maybe a little past peak bloom, and the 'Hosokawa-nioi' between them is also in bloom. @Douglas Justice said that for years he missed noticing that the one in the middle was different. I think all the years I've visited them, the one in the middle bloomed later than the 'Tai-haku', but Douglas must have visited in years like this when they were in bloom at the same time.
The 'Kiku-zakura' on Maple from 12th to 16th are maybe the best show in town right now, though the 8 or so trees are spaced a few per block, and they are not large trees, so there isn't a swath of colour along the street. But the trees have a lot of flowers, and these flowers are each little gems, somewhat smaller than 'Shiro-fugen'. In the mix are also one nice 'Shogetsu', maybe a bit larger than the 'Kiku-zakura' trees, and on another block, a not-so-nice 'Shogetsu'.
Wendy, these photos are so beautiful, nice shots! thanks for sharing. Any idea if these kiku- zakura trees will bloom again this year.
Tony, 'Kiku-zakura' are the last to bloom. The festival map still has last year's dates, which were starting April 15. For the late cultivars, the dates don't often change too much year to year, except for very early years. Neighbourhood Maps Or get there from the festival's website, Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival: April 2-April 26, 2020 - Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival, select Neighbourhood Maps.