To the Japanese, the cherry blossom is a symbol of isagiyosa; it blooms so beautifully and intensely, yet disappears without a trace in such a short time. To hold on to something desperately, the Japanese believe, is ignoble. Mujyo, or transience, is central to the Buddhist perception of the world; the present is but a moment in the eternal history of the universe, which is ever-changing. And so the cherry blossoms in full bloom are an occasion of beauty and joy also tinged with sadness and the inevitability of decay.

Coming soon, on my F'log ...

Prunus serrulata 'Kiku Shidare'—This weeping chrysanthemum cherry produces exquisite rose-pink, densely double flowers, each with 50 or more pointed petals. Blooms can be more than an inch in diameter. The tree is compact, with arched, drooping branches.