Okame-zakura, prunus x incam 'Okame'
It is not 桜 Sakura (Cherry blossom) season yet, but early-blooming Sakura blossoms
have brightened up the wintry landscape with their shades of Pink.
White-eye
The three images above is Okame-zakura, prunus x incam 'Okame'.
They bloom in the cold of the beginning of March almost at the same time with
Ume (Japanese apricot) below.
Sunlight glints on the Sepia-colored weathered plants and icy Blue pond.
A Pigeon looked out among Light brown fallen leaves to pick up food.
Deep-rose of 寒緋桜 Kan-Hizakura, Taiwan cherry, Prunus campanulata,
is especially eye-catching.
It is another variety of early-blooming Sakura.
Bell-shaped flowers bloom facing downward.
Although most of Sakura loses its petals
fluttering one by one,
the petals of Prunus campanulata
fall in clusters.
The buds of 雪柳, Spiraea thunbergii, that unfold in early March are Mint.
About one month of the journey to white flowers blooming all over the branches starts here.
Light Green is also seen at a brook flowing with a soft murmur
and reflecting the greening along it.
Bright Yellow of Mimosa against a backdrop of bare trees;
the juxtaposition of spring and winter.
Taking turns winter and spring, season has progressed.
Sakura season for 2024 is expected to peak from late March to early April
in my part of Japan, Kansai region.
Sakura season lasts only "less than two weeks" when Somei-yoshino,
the most widely planted variety, come and go all at once.
In wider meaning, Sakura season is about "one and a half months" long in each region,
as different varieties of Sakura start blooming one after another since the end of February.
(All the photos but one was taken at Nagai Park and its vicinity on March 10th.)
Linked to Saturday's Critters