sakura in the sunshine

Our city of Burlington is twinned with the city of Itabashi in Japan.

And this is what they gifted us in 1997. This limestone kanto walkway takes us through 40 cherry trees, a type of sakura known as Somei Yoshino.

It is neat how the new growth of blossoms starts directly from the trunk

The walkway is very popular in this park on the waterfront and there are always people around taking pictures (though I was out before 7am taking these pictures, when it was a bit quieter!)

there are benches (in memory of Leslie Mahaffy) for quiet contemplation 

and views out over the water to the pier 

where sometimes there is a ship waiting to go through the canal lift bridge

and if we go over to the pier we can get the full view of the cherry blossoms

these pictures were taken as soon as the sun came up one morning last week for Restless Jo's Monday Walk