10 of the best for SPRING BLOSSOM

Few ornamental trees can match cherries for the sheer abundance of blossom, and we’ve had a love affair with these glorious trees for well over 100 years. Originally in Europe we had to make do with only three native species, which were used to produce prized edible forms.

But in the Far East, the genetic diversity of over 200 different species allowed growers to breed and select for the beauty of blossom alone. In Japan the flowering cherry, or , has developed deeply symbolic meanings. The tradition of – drinking under a sakura tree – is thought to date back to the 8th century, when it was practiced by members of the Imperial Court and this has developed