Blossom is coming to the UK – in a big way. The National Trust has announced it’ll be planting more blossoming tree circles in towns and cities across the country “to help signal reflection and hope” following the pandemic.
The conservation charity hopes to spark an annual marking of the season akin to Japan’s hanami – the ancient tradition of viewing and celebrating cherry blossom as the first sign of spring.
The hope is to extend our newfound appreciation of nature that got so many people through the first lockdown in spring 2020, and to give tourism a bit of a boost once it’s able to resume.
The first new blossom circle will be at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in east London and will include 33 UK-grown trees, including cherry, plum, hawthorn and crab apple, to represent the 33 London boroughs.
It’ll be joined by more blossom-friendly green spaces in and around urban areas over the next five years, to connect more people to nature.
Can’t wait until then? Here’s some amazing blossom photos from around the world to get you in the mood for spring.