Importance Score: 40 / 100 🔵
UK Town Home to World’s Largest Taihaku Cherry Blossom Collection
A picturesque town in the North East of the UK is home to the planet’s most extensive array of Taihaku cherry blossom trees. This stunning display draws visitors eager to witness the breathtaking floral spectacle. The Alnwick Garden, located adjacent to Alnwick Castle in Northumberland, showcases these remarkable cherry blossoms.
The Alnwick Garden’s Remarkable Display
The Alnwick Garden features 329 of these magnificent trees, which flower simultaneously for roughly two weeks between April and May. The Taihaku Cherry Blossom, also known as the ‘Great White’, is celebrated for its clusters of substantial 7cm blooms that resemble snow, as detailed on The Alnwick Garden’s website.
- Features 329 Taihaku cherry blossom trees.
- Blooms for approximately two weeks in April-May.
- Flowers known as ‘Great White’ due to snow-like appearance.
Social Media Captures the Beauty
Olivia, a social media enthusiast known as The Northernist, shared an enthralling video on TikTok, highlighting the stunning white blossoms in complete bloom. The brief clip reveals narrow pathways encircled by Taihaku cherry blossom trees, along with an inviting swinging bench where visitors can unwind and absorb the panoramic vista.
The History of Taihaku Cherry Trees
The history of these traditionally Japanese trees is intriguing, according to The Alnwick Garden’s web page: “In 1926 Captain Collingwood Ingram (“Cherry” Ingram) was invited to Japan to lecture the Sakurai (cherry society). There, he saw an 18th-century book depicting a large, white cherry blossom believed to be extinct.”
“He recognised the same blossom on a cherry tree, imported to a Sussex garden in 1899. He obtained cuttings and reintroduced the lost Taihaku to Japan in 1932.”
Characteristics of the Taihaku Cherry Blossom
Today, all cultivated Taihaku cherry trees descend from that lone tree found in Sussex. In autumn, the leaves of the Taihaku transform into a “beautiful coppery colour”. In Japan, cherry blossoms carry a “deep cultural significance,” symbolising the beauty and delicacy of life.
- Leaves turn coppery in autumn.
- Cherry blossoms symbolize beauty and fragility in Japan.
‘Great White Cherry’
The Taihaku is adorned with large, icy white flowers that emerge from pink buds in April. These flowers are larger than most ornamental cherry blossoms, hence the nickname ‘Great White Cherry’, as noted by Ornamental Trees.
The garden tree company elaborates: “A medium-sized cherry blossom tree, Prunus ‘Taihaku’, will reach 6 x 5 metres in 20 years and possess a rounded form. It thrives in most well-drained soils and is tolerant of pollution, making it suitable for urban locations. Ideal for avenue planting or as a solitary specimen, the Great White Cherry tree stands as one of the finest white-flowering Cherry trees available.”
The Alnwick Garden’s Poison Garden
Alongside the Taihaku cherry blossom trees, The Alnwick Garden is also home to the Poison Garden. This garden contains approximately 100 toxic, intoxicating, and narcotic plants.
Visitors are strictly prohibited from smelling, touching, or tasting any of these plants. The Poison Garden is secured by black, iron gates and is accessible only through guided tours.
Visitor Information and Social Media Buzz
In her TikTok video caption, posted on April 20, Olivia urged: “It’s blossom season at @Alnwick Garden. You don’t have long to catch this spectacle! I’d say there’s about a week left of the petals, so if you want to see the blossom orchard in bloom, get your tickets booked ASAP.”
“The Alnwick Garden boasts the world’s largest collection of Taihaku cherry blossoms, and when they’re flowering, it’s simply a breathtaking sight – a sea of stunning white petals. Even outside of bloom time, the gardens are magnificent, but now is an incomparable time to visit!”
Olivia’s post has captivated numerous TikTok users, with comments likening the garden to paradise. Some users remarked: “I imagine that’s what heaven looks like…so beautiful”, “Omggggosh. Sometimes I imagine if this is how heaven might look” and “so incredible, my idea of heaven.”
Plan Your Visit
For those interested in experiencing The Alnwick Garden’s splendor, day tickets can be purchased via their website for £17.20 per adult, enabling four children to accompany each adult free of charge, with an additional child ticket priced at £6. On-site prices are £19.20 per adult and £8 for each fifth child, given that the first four children enter free with a paying adult.