Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Washington DC Cherry Blossoms and Contest Winners

By Skeeter

We left our Georgia Garden to spend Easter with the Saints family in Virginia. While there, we jumped on the Metro and headed for our Nations Capitol to see the Cherry Blossoms in their full glory. Once above ground, we spotted this patch of bright tulips.
The Cherry Blossom Festival attracts lots of visitors to Washington DC and especially around the Tidal Basin of the Jefferson Memorial. To see a beautiful Japanese Lady in traditional attire, was a special treat.
The Blossoms on some of the Cherry Trees looked like pure snow!
While other Cherry Tree Blossoms were of pink colors.
They were spectacular to say the least.
Each tree was filled with busting blossoms.
The abnormal high temperatures (mid 80's) had the leaves coming out along with the blossoms on some trees!
Damage from the massive snow fall in February could be seen on some of the trees.
Tree caretakers had to remove some of the branches.
Limbs are never cut for low hanging, only when damaged. Be cautious when walking under the trees or one will get your noggin.
This Elm was knocked over due to the big snow storm as well. I had to chuckle as it was an elm that we lost as well during our freak snow fall.
Although, our elm was not nearly as old as this fella.
Here you can see a good example of the different colors of blossoms.
It was a beautiful day for our stroll around the Tidal Basin and a challenge to snap pictures without people in the view. Can you see all the people sitting on the steps of the Jefferson Memorial?
The trees were absolutely glowing with color.
I wonder what Jefferson is thinking as he looks out upon this surrounding beauty?
Ah, the Mallard Ducks were not bothered by hoards of people strolling past them.
Saucer Magnolia, Forsythia and Cherry Trees all blooming together with playing children.
Such beauty to the eyes!
I was captivated as to how full the blooms were on the branches.
Memorials look so much nicer being framed by the Blossoms.
Look at this poor tree barely hanging onto life. If only trees could talk, I am sure this one would have a wonderful story to tell...
Walking from the Tidal Basin, I spotted this area I found interesting. Trees protected from construction. They must be famous to be protected behind a locked fence!
This is almost too pretty to be nothing more then weeds in our gardens!
This grouping of trees had us in awe with their beauty. We did not know what type tree until the next picture.


I recognised this pod as a Sycamore pod. I would rate them right up there with pesky Sweet Gum Trees and their nasty pods. I still think these Sycamore trees are pretty, well, cause they are not in my yard.
The Saint and I were a bit ahead of our gang so we stopped to let them catch up. As we stood there, I had this stinky scent overcome my nose. I turned around to see this bush.
Beautiful blooms....

And beautiful foliage but a scent that smelled like something rotting. Anyone know what this bush could be as it was a puzzle to us?
It was a most beautiful and pleasant day to spend in our Nations Capitol. So nice to see all the happy people flying kites, picnicking, resting and enjoying such a wonderful time. It was nice to get to see the WASHINGTON DC CHERRY BLOSSOMS, In the Garden....

Note: A special thank you to the Saint's sister for arranging our DC trip and providing a great lunch!
****
Winners of my Blogiversary Give-away.
Names were printed, cut into strips, folded and placed in the Saints Magic Hat. Hand when in and out came the names!
Drum roll please..........
The winners are:

ROSES AND LILACS
&
RANDY EMMITT...

Marnie and Randy, send Tina an email ramseytina5@gmail.com with your addresses so I can get your prizes in the mail.....

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team,

In the Garden

41 comments:

  1. All the while, reading this post, I was wide-eyed. I have seen many photos of cherry blossoms across blogland but these beat 'em all! The one along the steps looks fantastic.
    Snow during Spring that warms one's heart is simply superb!
    What can I say?!!!
    I am not sure what that stinky plant is. Blossoms look good though.

    Randy and Marnie! Congratulations on the prize!

    ReplyDelete
  2. One of our girls leaves for her 8th grade trip to D.C. she's going to miss the cherry blooms...beautiful post! Congrats to the winners.

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a fantastic post! How wonderful you got to experience the cherry blossoms to the max. Your pictures were just great and I can see why so many visit D.C. at this time.

    Thank you for sharing.

    FlowerLady

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have been to DC, but never during bloom season. I would love to see it. Thanks for sharing your pictures. It was nice to see it through you. Carla

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh my, the blossoms look like cotton candy! Thanks for sharing them with us. I've no idea about the stinking shrub, I'm sure it has a interesting common name.
    Congrats Marnie and Randy!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Skeeter girl that was fantastic !
    It reminds me of when we lived in a little Dutch village and the cherry blossoms finaly fell off the trees .. the streets we covered in them .. like there was this huge wedding and confettii ? was every where !
    That was an amazing tour of the monuments too : )
    I don't know what that stinky tree was .. but we have a mountain ash that smells like not so nice fish and finally when the blooms are finished so is that SMELL thank god !! LOL
    That Easter weekend was HOT here too .. and it forced a lot of growth which was nice to see but hoping we dont get a severe frost now is a bit iffy .. I'll be at the fireplace with the cats ? LOL

    ReplyDelete
  7. The cherry trees are something really REALLY awesome. I've never visited D.C. so I really enjoyed seeing the monuments too. I've only just passed thru it. The cherry trees remind me of sugar frosted confections for some reason. Congrats to Marnie and Randy. Email me with your address when you get the chance. Everyone have a great day!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh Skeeter, thank you for this post and the pictures! I can't wait to share this with daughter Jen. She and her new husband just moved to Alexandria, Va--but she still works in DC. We are going to see her in May--wonder what will be blooming then!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Spectacular Skeeter, I love the cherry blossoms and you captured some wonderful photos of them. I always feel a sense of pride when I walk through DC.
    congrats to Marnie and Randy.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Ever since I learned about the Cherry Blossom Festival, I've wanted to visit D.C. in spring. What an amazing experience. Those lines of blossom-laden trees along the water are mind-blowing. Great post, and lucky you.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Skeeter,

    What a wonderful tour you brought us! Which I do appreciate because I'm one of those people who avoids crowds. :-)

    I'm trying to figure out if your stinky shrub in the photo is Illicium floridanum. I have a different illicium in my garden that actually smells good, but that one is reported to be fishy.

    Congrats to Marnie and Randy, too!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oh my! I don't think I've ever seen anything so lovely! Great photos!--Randy

    ReplyDelete
  13. I really hope to take the kids to Washington D.C. one day for a historical trip during the bloom festival. Cherries are one of my favorite flowering trees. You got some great pictures!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wow, these photos are breathtaking. Note to self: If you ever get a chance to go to DC go while the Cherry Trees are blooming!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I'd love to go there in the spring and see the cherry trees and also visit the Smithsonian.
    Marnie

    ReplyDelete
  16. Skeeter, you always have that special Skeeter perspective on things that I so enjoy: What's Jefferson thinking?, poor tree hanging onto life, stinky shrub... Pretty pictures yes, but you make 'em much more interesting with your commentary. I would love to have you as a tour guide.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I took an 8th grade trip to DC, right after 9/11, in spring on 02. But we missed the cherry blossoms! LOL! Gorgeous photos, Skeeter. What a breathtaking place.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Fantastic tour Skeeter. Thanks for taking us along with you.
    I've been to D.C. but never saw the Cherry blossoms before. Maybe one day.
    Here's hoping that all have a wonderful day. Sunny, cool here. Nice gardening day.

    ReplyDelete
  19. CONGRATULATIONS to the winners.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Some day I must see our nations capital when the cherries bloom, it looks gorgeous!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Good Morning everyone and congrats to the winners Marnie and Randy! Another beautiful day here in GA and I have plans for a new planter. So a digging I must go...

    Chandramouli, Thank you so much for your kind words on the photos! I snapped about 200 to capture such beauty. Difficult as I had no idea what I was getting as the sun was so bright that I could not see the screen of the camera. I was shocked as to how good some of the pictures were when I loaded them…

    Darla, your daughter will love DC as there is so much to do there! I think all children should take a school trip to DC as there is so much to learn…

    Flowerlady, I had to laugh and say I was there with a million new friends! It was crowed but worth the crawl around the Tidal Basin to get to see them so close up and in person. They are an awesome sight to behold…

    Carla, I have seen them once before but many many years ago and I don’t recall them being so beautiful nor the crowds of people then either. I am a lot older now so maybe I noticed the blossoms more and the crowds more as well, lol. They are a wonderful sight and worth a spring visit…

    Dawn, I was going to mention cotton candy but forgot to put in the words, lol. Great minds think a like, hee hee. It was as if the clouds have fallen low enough to touch that day. A perfect day for a blossom viewing…

    Joy, I had one picture of the fallen blossoms but I did not think it was blog quality. It did look just as though a bride and groom had walked past the area with petals dropped everywhere! That flower girls arm would have been sore with so many petals to toss, lol. I am glad I brought back a wonderful memory for you today. And fingers crossed for no more freezing temps for you!

    Tina, as a solider, you should get yourself to DC some day! It is an awesome place full of history and lots of free stuff to see and do. This is what you went to war for girl, our country and the Capitol is the best place to go and feel free and happy! Dawn and I were just saying how cotton candy comes to mind with the blossoms..

    ReplyDelete
  22. Meadowthymes, Oh you will enjoy the DC area! We are lucky that the Saints family lives so close. We pop in during the low seasons to avoid the crowds but had to see the cherry blossoms this year. I am so glad we went as they were gorgeous this year. Some years, they are not so great. It all depends on the weather. Christmas time is a wonderful time to visit there as well. But sometime mighty cold with winds blowing. Burrrrrrr…

    Janet, I am proud to be in our Nations Capitol no matter what else is going on in the world! I have seen the Cherry Blossoms in Spring, Fireworks shooting over the Washington monument at 4th of July and the beautiful Christmas Decorations during the winter. Not sure if I have been to DC during the fall or not. Hum, maybe that will be another visit to come. Has been a while since seeing the zoo…

    Helen, You must get up there sometime during spring. We are lucky to have family living there and with us being only a 8 hour drive away, we can plan our trip around the weather and peek blooming time. Put this one on your list as it is worth the visit…

    Cameron, As we age, we hate crowds more and more which tells me that one day we will not be getting out much, lol. I have no idea on that bush but it smelled awful. I know they have Ginkgo trees in DC and I wondered if that is what I was smelling as I have never smelled one that stinks as our ginkgo was not a stinker. I turned around and spotted this bush. I went in closer for the sniff and about gagged! It was bad…

    Randy, They were stunning and an interesting walk while looking up! A challenge to not bop the head in certain spots too…

    Dave, you must plan the trip accordingly to the cherry blossoms opening. We are lucky to be able to make a quick plan within days which is just what we did this trip. Weather was perfect and blossoms opening at the same time. A treat for sure. DC is a great place to take children as it is full of things for a little brain to soak up as a sponge! The girls will love it as will you and Jenny…

    Sprouts, Yes, do go if you ever have the chance! We are lucky to be able to get there so often with family near by…

    Marnie, pack your bags girl and get to DC. A great place to visit with so much to see and do! Congrats on the win!

    W2W, I use to joke and say I could be a tour guide in Germany. Lord knows we took people to the same places over and over and I knew the speeches better then the tour guides! LOL. My eye seems to spot things and my mind wonders on with thoughts. Sometimes that’s a good thing, sometimes it is not a good thing. Hee hee….

    ReplyDelete
  23. Lzyjo, That must have been a serene time to visit DC. The place is beautiful with or without the cherry blossoms but they make it a bit more beautiful in the spring…

    Lola, I get there often as the Saints family lives nearby. I think he is a good driver today from learning to navigate downtown DC as a teenager! And the snow in the winter too. The place can be a madhouse during peak season but so wonderful during the off season. We try to go during the slow times but in order to see those blossoms, one must endure the crowds. Beautiful weather here too and I have so much I want to do before the heat arrives…

    Msrobin, put that one on your list of To Do’s as it is well worth the visit and crowds!

    ReplyDelete
  24. About the Gerberas, you know not to plant them deep or they will not bloom right?

    ReplyDelete
  25. I have been to DC many times and in many seasons but never at Christmas and I bet it is really magical then. I do love the Cherry Blossoms and have seen them a couple of times. That being said, I should doubt I will ever go there again. That darned ole age thing. Like has already been discussed, walking and crowds do not mix well with senior years for some of us. So I sure did enjoy this stroll today. Hubby was in the Honor Guard at Arlington when he was in the navy so whenever we traveled near DC we had to go there. We had an exchange student from Spain live with us for a year and we had planned on going to FL to visit my parents in Feb. We were planning to fly but then we got the exchange student so figured we would drive and show him some of the country. Haha, he slept most of the way. Teens!!! We stayed a couple of nights in DC and he did stay awake then as he was quite impressed with it. His favorite was the Iwo Jima Memorial.

    The weather was so crazy all over this past winter. The Tulips and Forsythias should be gone by down there by the time ours bloom and our Forsythias have been blooming for a while now. In fact I have some that have already turned green and my Tulips are just opening now.

    ReplyDelete
  26. I'd love to see those Cherry blossoms in person one day. Just beautiful! I really enjoyed the tour.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Darla, thanks for the tip but these were already blooming for me. All I had to do was transfer from the pot to the ground! Instant gratification as my hubby likes to say...

    Jean, What a wonderful story of the exchange student. I “had” a friend visit us while we lived in Germany and as we toured her all through Bavaria, she had her nose in a book about UFO's! I could have screamed at her for wasting our time to take her on a tour when she did not seem to care about anything but that darn book and on UFO's no doubt.... Grrrrrrr… One persons idea of vacation is not another’s I guess… The memorials are wonderful in DC. Really makes one proud when viewing them. Yep, the weather will be ahead of you in Maine when you get to TN. Tulips, daffys, blossoms and forsythia all gone but other fun stuff opening up. Tina’s garden always has something blooming to enjoy…

    Catherine, You need to add a spring trip to DC to your list of things to do some day. A beautiful place in spring for sure…

    ReplyDelete
  28. Great photo's! Everything is just beautiful, nothing better then blooming cherries.

    ReplyDelete
  29. So beautiful! I remember somebody telling me that is the best time to visit DC!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Congrats, Marnie and Randy!
    As for the blossoms, they're gorgeous! This is one of my all-time favorite festivals! Thanks for sharing your trip!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Congrats on your blogoversary, and you have some lovely photos here! You made it to DC after we went, so your photos show the blooms more open and prolific. We went on the very first day of the Festival and I did a post about it, many of our photos look very similar;-) But tulips weren't quite out yet and many buds had not opened on the trees. It wasn't really overly crowded when we went, either. Too bad we didn't get to meet while you were there! I wasn't home over Easter anyway, though...as I was away with relatives. Congrats to Jamie& Randy, and Marnie;-)

    ReplyDelete
  32. You took great photos. Thank you for the tour. Now I have to visit DC in April. So much beauty, so little time....

    ReplyDelete
  33. What a beautiful sight Skeeter, to see the blooming cherry trees along the water.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Beautiful -thanks for sharing -time is limited with these nice warm days and kiddos. But, I am sneaking a peek now -and these are beautiful pictures and excellent tour Miss Skeeter -hehehe.
    Have a great evening everyone -off to get some more outside stuff done.
    Ciao!

    ReplyDelete
  35. Wow, I had a productive day in the garden today! Made a new planter and planted free lilies! Free is the best....

    Dan, Thanks, you are so right, nothing like blooming cherries. They were stunning to the eye on that perfect day!

    Alia, Hey girl, good to see you taking a bit of time to read In the Garden. Miss A must be snoozing and giving mommy a minute to herself :-) Spring is a great time to visit DC but heck, I enjoy going there any time. The place is full of interesting stuff to see and do! Hugs to my sweet Great Niece…

    Kimberly, Thank you and I am glad you enjoyed the little stroll along the Tidal Basin. You did not have to deal with the crowds of people like I did, hee hee. Na, it was all worth it to see such a sight…

    Jan, I was a bit later for sure. I find it fun to see others views of the same things we visit. You may spot something I did not and vice versa. I was captivated at the blossoms with the Jefferson Memorial as well as the Washington monument in the views. Such sights. We went on the Saturday before Easter and that is why it was so crowded but I bet more people were there on Easter Sunday as it was also a perfect day to stroll the city. We may meet up some day as we will be in the area again this year. Ops, the winner was Randy Emmitt not Randy of Randy and Jamie, lol, don’t make me have to get another gift in the mail girl, hee hee….

    Sherlock, Yes, get to DC in April as it is beautiful. There are so many wonderful places in this country to visit but DC is special for sure. So much to do and so little time indeed…

    Melanie, they were spectacular to the eye. Beautiful views every where you turned your head! Everyone was so in awe of the beauty and so happy strolling along. Life was good that day…

    Anonymous, Hey to my favorite kiddoes and mommy! I have a picture to send to you. My brother and his turkey friend, Hubby will enjoy seeing this one as well as the kiddoes. Don’t let that little bundle get too much sun and I bet he will get in the pool this summer! I will see you soon…

    ReplyDelete
  36. Skeeter...What a delightful tour...Thank you! I've never been to the city when the cherry trees were blooming~wow are they incredible. Congrats to the winners! gail

    ReplyDelete
  37. I am not sure what Jefferson would say about the Cherries, but I know he would like them. However, today he would have likely said "happy birthday to me". I think your mystery plant looks like Aucuba japonica, but I have never known it to be stinky, perhaps it was coming from some other source. Thanks for sharing your lovely pictures.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Thank you for posting about the Cherry Blossom Festival. I went to Howard University for college and I haven't been back since. I miss it so so much and this festival in particular. Skipping class to walk among the trees was a treat when my course load was too overwhelming. Interestingly enough, down in Atlanta, where I'm from, I have crazy allergies. However I could walk among the cherry trees and inhales large gulps of breath and it wouldn't faze me. Spectacular!

    ReplyDelete
  39. Gail, you should get there in the spring when the trees are exploding with blossoms! Beautiful...

    Les, Happy Birthday to Jefferson! I was thinking the scent could not be coming from the beautiful bush as well. Then I sniff the blooms and yikes, it was indeed this bush. It was baffling....

    Kalena Michele, Well hello my neighbor in Atlanta! DC is so beautiful in the spring with all the blossoms filling the air! I feel for you with the allergies especially during the spring months when everything is a challenge for many. My hubby and I are lucky to not have such allergies but his mother suffers like no other we know. As we age we are seeing signs of allergies but nothing to complain about at this point. Thanks for dropping by today…

    ReplyDelete
  40. Looks like a wonderful time in DC. Love all those blossoms and architecture.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Hi Skeeter, i am back to blogging. I am late here, just about to put comments on your latest post but browsing on older posts, i cannot leave without saying those posts of the cherry blossoms are magnificent, awesome. I envy those people who have them because we dont have and we havent seen it. I can imagine now why most of you are visualizing spring during winters. Spring is more than what i thought because of this post! thank you.

    ReplyDelete

ALL SPAM WILL BE PROMPTLY FRIED. PLEASE DO NOT LIFT PHOTOS OR WORDS. THANKS!