It’s that time of year when all living things begin to bloom! Fingers crossed Mother Nature doesn’t have any more wintery surprises up her sleeve.
Once spring has sprung, a particularly exciting activity of ours is admiring the beautiful fruit blossoms of apricot, cherry, apple, nectarine, pear, plum, grape and peach trees across Ontario. People love doing this so much, #BlossomWatch is a thing. People show up in droves in Toronto’s High Park every year — and news outlets monitor the state of the flowers to assure peak selfie awesomeness.
While blossoms are usually on display throughout May, the exact schedule and locations are entirely dependent on the weather, making it difficult to predict. The blossoms in the southernmost parts of the province will show off a little earlier than most – the perfect place to start #blossomwatch. As it gets warmer earlier and earlier, we want to be sure that no one misses this most wonderful time of the year!
Niagara Parks predicts that their Japanese flowering cherry trees will bloom by mid-May. They can be found in their Botanical Gardens, Queenston Heights Park and Kingsbridge Park.
Before Covid canceled the official High Park Blossom Watch, park staff in Toronto predicted the peak bloom of their cherry blossoms to be early May in most years. While blossom-loving Torontonians need to skip the crowded chaos that is High Park this year, there’s still plenty of safe places to enjoy the spectacle from a distance. Blossoms can also be found in Centre Island Park, Robarts Park, Centennial Park, Broadacres Park and Trinity Bellwoods Park. Check out the map here. As spring weather patterns vary, it may delay or accelerate these dates, so be on the lookout!
For those living in Wine Country, blossom season is taken very seriously. There’s even an excellent motorcycle route travelled regularly my locals where they can enjoy the beauty of cherry (and peach!) blossom season. If white blooms are more your style, a drive into apple country or visit your local orchard and you’re bound to see these lovely buds.
If the weather stays nice, blossoms can last for about a week to a week and a half. If it rains while they are in bloom, the flower petals fall quicker and the blooming may be over in just a few short days. If you find a beautiful tree in your neighbourhood, share it with other blossom lovers using #BlossomWatch.
