It’s that beautiful time of the year again: Spring! I just love Spring, it’s when all the flowers bloom and everyone comes out to play. That’s exactly what the atmosphere was at High Park during the Cherry Blossom (Sakura Tree) Festival, which I also went to last year in 2010. As last year, many came here to catch a glimpse of these beautiful flowers as they do not last long! A full bloom (mankai) is usually reached within about one week after the opening of the first blossom (kaika) and after just one week, the blooming peak is over and the blossoms begin to fall from the trees. If there are strong winds or rain, blooming season will be even shorter.  

Please check out my video below to learn more about the Cherry Blossom Festival at High Park.

Sammylicious TV: Cherry Blossom (Sakura Trees) at High Park 

As mentioned in my video above, the Cherry Blossom (Sakura Tree) Festival is a highly celebrated event in Toronto because of the much anticipated spring after a long brutal Canadian winter. Many from all over the city come to enjoy this spectacular sight, from professional photographers to family and friends having a picnic in the park.

The Cherry Blossom Flower Viewing is an old Japanese tradition also known as “Sakura Hanami” and many spend hours viewing and enjoying these flowers on full bloom. The blooming of Cherry Blossoms (Sakura Trees)  typically occur in late April to early May, depending on the winter. The milder the winter, the earlier these will bloom. Because the winter in Toronto of 2010 – 2011 was both long and harsh, these flowers bloomed in early May which is much later than last year when it bloomed in mid-late April. Sometimes, when the winter is too harsh and cold, these flowers may not even bloom at all!

High Park has two Cherry Blossom walks but as last year, we took Walk 1 again which approximately takes 30-45 minutes to complete. This walk offers gorgeous views of High Park’s largest collection of Sakura trees as well as the Grenadier Pond and Hillside Gardens. Please enjoy my photos below!

Photos from the Cherry Blossom (Sakura Tree) Viewing

Here’s Elliott and I.

And then there’s just me! Hahaha..

Chinese Blossoms at High Park

 High Park also has a wide range of other beautiful flowers – just like this pretty pink Chinese blossom (I am unsure the name! If someone knows, please let me know!). Most of them weren’t bloomed just yet, but we found a few that were :)

 Elliott & I in front of the Chinese Blossoms

Kaori & I by the pond

The Canadian maple leaf: What’s a Canadian park without a Maple Leaf, right?

Large tall trees – so beautiful!

High Park Wildlife in the Spring

Mr. Squirrel who lives at High Park, also wanted to come out and play! Helloooo!

I adore High Park, because I love to see these amazingly beautiful birds. Above are two Canadian Geese.

This really cool duck is known as the Wood Duck.. but only the male looks as cool as this, spotting so many colours! I saw shades of orange, red, purple, green, black, white and brown.

 Location & Directions

The most convenient and easy way I find is to take the TTC to High Park station (on the Bloor line) and just as you cross Bloor Street, you’ll see High Park. It’s too big to miss!

If you prefer to drive, there’s free parking available at the Grenadier Restaurant (enter the park from the intersection of Bloor Street and High Park Avenue and follow the one-way loop to the Grenadier Restaurant in the centre of the park) and the lot immediately east of the Zoo (enter the park from the intersection of High Park Blvd and Parkside Drive).

Last Friday, Kaori and I made our way up to High Park to see the Cherry Blossoms for Spring 2010! These Cherry Blossoms (Sakura trees) are such a wonderful celebration to see and experience in Toronto as they mark the end of winter! It is an old Japanese tradition of Sakura Hanami which is roughly translated as “cherry blossom flower viewing” and typically occurs in late April – early May. Toronto’s winter is just too harsh and cold, even for these most cold tolerant flowering cherry tree species! I’ve been told that these flowers don’t last very long as they fall very quickly and if you want to catch a glimpse of these photos, you only have about a 1-2 week window to go! Sakura blossoms are seen as a metaphor for life itself, luminous and beautiful, yet fleeting and ephemeral.

History of High Park’s Sakura Trees

In 1959, the Japanese ambassador to Canada, Toru-Hagiwara, presented 2000 Japanese Somei-Yoshino Sakura trees to the citizens of Toronto on behalf of the citizens of Tokyo. The trees were planted in appreciation of Toronto accepting re-located Japanese-Canadians following the Second World War. Many of these trees were planted on the hillside overlooking Grenadier Pond (immediately southwest of the Grenadier Café) and around the west shore of the pond.

In 1984, a grove of Japanese cherry trees were planted along a pathway west of the Children’s Adventure Playground in High Park. The trees were donated by Yoriki and Midori Iwasaki as a special gift to the people of Toronto and “a joyful symbol of life”.

Through the Consulate General of Japan in Toronto’s “Sakura Project”, 34 Yoshino ‘Akebono’ and Kwanzan ‘Fugenzo’ Sakura trees were donated toHigh Park in 2001 on the west shore of Grenadier Pond near the Maple Leaf garden.  In 2006, 16 additional Yoshino Sakura trees were planted near the original 1959 planting site.

Plaques commemorating each of the plantings can be found under the cherry trees in High Park.

Source: High Park’s Cherry Blossom Website

Image Source: High Park’s Cherry Blossom Website

There are two walks that you can take at High Park to see these trees. Walk 1 involves a 30-45 minute walk along the paved trails which can also be quite steep in some places. This walk is definitely worth it as you’ll see the most beautiful views of High Park’s Sakura trees as well as Grenadier Pond and Hillside Gardens. Also watch for Baltimore Orioles that have just migrated back to the park feeding on nectar from the Sakura blossoms! I didn’t manage to see any while I was there though..

I didn’t do Walk 2 but this walk features the grove of Sakura trees donated by the Iwasaki family in 1984 as well as the Children’s Adventure Playground and the Lower Duck Pond. While there are fewer Sakura trees on this 20 minute walk, this walk will be good for your little ones :)

Below are photos I took while I was on Walk 1. You will get a little viewing of some of these truly beautiful flowers! It of course is not the same to viewing them up close with your own eyes.

High Park becomes a photographer’s heaven at this time of year. From amateur to professional photographers, this is where they gather to capture this beautiful moment in Toronto. I didn’t see one group of people without a camera!

As mentioned a little bit earlier, there are some beautiful wildlife that come to stay at High Park.

These birds aren’t the only birds who come to enjoy High Park, but so do “Love Birds”.

And so do families and friends..

High Park also has other beautiful flowers such as this pretty pink one below.

Location & How To Get There
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The most convenient and easy way I find is to take the TTC to High Park station (on the Bloor line) and just as you cross Bloor Street, you’ll see High Park. It’s too big to miss!

If you prefer to drive, there’s free parking available at the Grenadier Restaurant (enter the park from the intersection of Bloor Street and High Park Avenue and follow the one-way loop to the Grenadier Restaurant in the centre of the park) and the lot immediately east of the Zoo (enter the park from the intersection of High Park Blvd and Parkside Drive).

So on Sunday afternoon I decided it was about time to head up to Chinatown to grab some groceries. I’ve been wanting to cook a proper Asian dish for some time now and let’s all face it – Chinese grocers are typically much cheaper than the fancy supermarket chains.

Chinatown ain’t too far from where I live. In fact it’s about 15 minute walk away and I pulled my shopper with me. But as I got to Spadina/Dundas, two blocks of Spadina Ave were closed off to traffic (From Dundas to up past College). There were so many stalls set up with various items (mostly food) and hundreds of people. I thought to myself: what the hell is going on?

I quickly realised (from a banner) that it was a Chinatown Festival. I’m not sure how often they have these things but I felt lucky that I was in the right place at the right time. There was so much lovely food! Japanese Squid Balls, Fish Balls, Beef Balls, Kashmiri BBQ, and much more!

I thought I would cruise past it all, but then I saw there was MALAYSIAN FOOD and decided I really needed my camera so I could show my parents back home. Suddenly feeling very hungry for food, I ran all the way home for my camera and ran all the way back.

I ate Murtabak which is like a Roti, but filled with curry. Delicious. Then I had my favourite dim sum dish – Radish Cakes. Then to accompany it all with Bubble Tea, of course.

There was lots of music and plenty of things (very Asian things) to buy. You definitely felt like you were in the middle of China but nope, you’re right in the heart of Toronto.

Some photos are below, but for more photos check out my Toronto Chinatown Festival Set at Flickr.