🌸 The Secrets of Sakura 🎎 The Festival of Blossoms🌸

The cold winter has finally loosened its grip. The air is warmer, the days are longer, and something magical is happening… 🌞✨ The bare trees, which stood so still through the winter, begin to wake up. But instead of growing green leaves first, they do something unexpected—they burst into a cloud of pink and white flowers! 🌸🌿

For just a short time each year, cherry trees become giant bouquets, their branches heavy with delicate blossoms swaying in the breeze. But these flowers are not here to stay—soon, their petals will drift down like gentle snowflakes, covering the ground in a soft floral carpet. ❄️🌸 But why do cherry blossoms bloom so early, and why do they fall so quickly? 🤔

While the trees stood quiet all winter, their buds were waiting—hidden under tiny protective scales—ready for the first warmth of spring. And when the time is right—pop! 🌱🎉 The blossoms appear before the leaves, so they can soak up the spring sunshine without any shade blocking their light! 🌞

For thousands of years, people have admired the beauty of cherry blossoms. In Japan, these delicate flowers are called sakura 👏 Sa 👏 ku 👏 ra 👏, and they are a symbol of new beginnings, beauty, and the passing of time. The name comes from Japanese word which means “to bloom”.🌸✨ Because sakura blossoms last only a short time, they remind people to treasure each moment—just like petals that float away on the wind. 🌬️🌸 Every spring in Japan, people from all over the world gather for this special celebration called Hanami—which means “flower viewing.”

If you visit Japan during te Hanami festival, you can also visit a very special sakura tree that’s over 2,000 years old? 🌸🕰️ It’s called Jindai-zakura, which means “Cherry Tree of the Age of the Gods.” High in the mountains of Japan, it blooms each spring just like it has for centuries—long before there were cities, cars, or even books! 📚🏯🚗This tree is so old, it needs a little help to stay standing. Look closely—you’ll see wooden supports holding up its wide, heavy branches and ancient trunk. 🌳✨

🌸 And not all cherry trees are the same and have just five petals! Over time, people have carefully cultivated special types of sakura with extra showy blossoms. One of the most beloved is called ‘Kanzan’, a double-flowered cherry tree that was developed over 300 years ago! 🏯🌿 Each blossom can have 20 to 50 petals, turning the branches into puffy pink clouds in the spring. 🌸☁️ These cultivated trees don’t grow wild—they were created by gardeners and tree lovers who carefully selected blossoms that looked especially full and beautiful.

But cherry blossoms aren’t just here to be admired—they’re busy at work! 🐝✨ Their sweet smell is like a secret message to pollinators: “Hey bees! Hey butterflies! The nectar bar is open!” 🍯🦋🐝 The bees zip in, the butterflies flutter by, sipping nectar and brushing up against the pollen. As they flit from blossom to blossom, they help the trees with something very important—making seeds! But not all cherry blossoms become juicy cherries🍒—many are just for beauty and pollinators! 🌿✨ The ornamental varieties, like Kanzan, were made just for their blossoms and don’t make edible fruit.

And here's my surprise in the story... not all cherry blossoms are pink or white! 🌸🌿 Some rare types bloom in soft green, like this cherry tree. How does polinators even recognise that there are flowers ? To me they look exactly like leaves pretending to be flowers! 🍃🌸

And through the centuries, people haven’t just admired cherry blossoms—they’ve also explored their uses! 🌸🔬 People have been using this fine petals to make cherry blossom perfumes, soaps, and even teas. 🍵💐 Some petals are pickled in salt and used in a special celebration tea called sakura-yu—which means “cherry blossom hot water.” 🍵✨ It’s not sweet—it's a little salty! But people don’t drink it for the taste. They drink it to feel the season in their heart and to welcome new beginnings. It's often served at weddings, as a symbol of happiness and good fortune. 💍🌿

In ancient Japan, the petals were sometimes collected to make natural dyes and pigments for fabrics and paintings. Artists would mix them into soft pinks for silk and scrolls. 🎨👘

I wonder... if we could transfer this beautiful soft color on paper and make "Sakura Pink" shade ?🌸

🌸 Gather a few soft pink petals
🔨 Place them on a piece of watercolor paper or cloth.
📄 Cover with another paper and gently press or tap with a small wooden block or spoon.
💧 Add a drop of water to help release more color.
🌞 Let it dry and observe—what shade did the blossom leave behind

I Wonder... If you can make pigments from other flowers too?🌷

Try pressing petals from different flowers and compare the colors they make.

You can even start a Flower Pigment Journal with swatches, names like “Sunshine Yellow” or “Violet Sky,” and notes about where you found each flower. ✍️🌼

I wonder ... Would you like to be a Sakura detective and go outside ? 👀🌸 Find a cherry tree, gently look at a blossoms and count the petals—are they five, or you have found one of the fancy, fluffy ornamental cherry trees which does not produce edible fruits ? Do all fruit trees have five petals?

Nature is full of colours waiting to be discovered! Just like cherry blossoms can leave behind soft pink, other flower petals may surprise you with their own secret shades.

With Montessori joy,

Vanina 😊