VIDEO: Cherry blossoms will soon bloom in Mississauga
Published April 28, 2022 at 11:39 am
Despite the cooler weather, cherry blossom season in Mississauga and across the GTA has arrived–almost.
One of the best places to catch glimpses of the blossoms and their ethereal beauty in the coming weeks is Kariya Park, near Mississauga’s downtown core.
The tranquil, Japanese-style park, named for Mississauga’s sister city of Kariya, Japan, is often described by City of Mississauga officials and visitors alike as “a little oasis in the middle of a bustling city.”
Peak cherry blossom season typically comes in late April and into the first couple of weeks in May, depending on the weather. It lasts only a week to 10 days or so.
When the blossoms do arrive, it’s a clear sign of spring.
“Mississauga’s cherry blossoms are on the cusp of blooming, despite the cooler temperatures we’ve seen in the last few weeks,” a City official said in an email news release. “There is a short window to see them in bloom. Buds will start to blossom over the next few weeks into a spectacular array of dazzling colours.”
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People from across Mississauga and elsewhere will soon “…flock to see these beautiful trees bursting with pink and white petals,” the City spokesperson added.
Cherry blossoms have a celebrated history in Japanese art and culture, the City notes, adding many of the world’s cherry blossom tree varieties come from the Japanese cherry tree (Sakura).
The delicate flowers, often soft white, blush pink and dark rose, bloom for just a few days at the start of spring, reaching their full peak in late April into early May. The trees need a minimum temperature of 15 degrees Celsius to fully bloom, City officials add.
This year also marks 40 years of Mississauga’s sister city relationship with Kariya, City officials point out.
To celebrate the occasion, Mississauga officials will plant seven new cherry blossom trees in the park on May 11. Six of the trees were received from Kariya as an anniversary gift while the other comes from a Mississauga business.
The City says Kariya Park is home to several ornate garden beds, unique Japanese décor, a marsh and pond, rhododendrons, pines, ginkgo, sweetgum, magnolia trees and more than 65 cherry blossom trees of four different varieties.
Mississauga has called Kariya its sister city since 1981. The Japanese city features a Mississauga Park, opened in 2001, that’s complete with a replica of Mississauga’s City Hall.
Kariya Park in Mississauga opened in July 1992.
(Photo: City of Mississauga)
The sister city initiative began in the 1950s as a way to promote communication between cities around the world. The original goal was to reduce conflict between nations in the aftermath of World War II.
Outside of Mississauga, people can catch cherry blossom season at High Park in Toronto, Centennial Park in Etobicoke (near Mississauga’s border), Broadacres Park in Etobicoke, Spencer Smith Park and Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington and, a little farther away, in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
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