RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) - You don't have to drive to D.C. to see cherry blossoms in full bloom! Richmond's Maymont Estate is graced with a variety of cherry trees on the 100-acre grounds.
Within the past several days, Peggy Singlemann, Director of Horticulture at Maymont, says the cherry blossoms reached peak bloom. Without any significant disruptive weather, the trees could remain at peak bloom for a couple of weeks.
Singlemann says this year is one of the later blooms she can recall as a result of the unusually chilly March weather in Richmond, even into last week. But as soon as the overnight temperatures stayed above freezing and the afternoons grew progressively warmer, it only took a couple of days for the transformation to begin at Maymont, Singlemann explains.
I took a quick trip to Maymont this morning to check out the blossoms for myself. Here are some of the photos I took on the Estate.
CLICK HERE for a map of Maymont.
This cherry blossom tree below is next to the Stone Barn at Maymont, near the Hampton Street entrance to the Estate (closest to the Mansion). Singlemann planted this very tree herself! She says they are relatively fast-growing trees.
With this week's warm weather and mild nights, the cherry trees will continue to bloom at peak until either heavy rain or wind knock off the blooms (which may happen during Friday's rain and thunderstorms).
Singlemann says that even after an expected stormy day Friday, the later-blooming "weeping" cherry trees will continue to bloom into next week because not all of their buds have fully blossomed. These noticeably pinker and smaller trees are just beginning to blossom and are lagging behind the popular grand white cherry blossom trees near the Stone Barn and the Children's Farm.
You can find the pink weeping cherry blossom trees in the Japanese Garden (go down the stairs by the waterfall fountain, below the Italian Garden).
But no matter which variety of cherry blossom tree you prefer, there are plenty to enjoy this warm week at Maymont!
CLICK HERE to find out what's in bloom right now on the Estate.
(Check out the cute family in the bottom left of this photo! They were nearby taking pictures at the cherry blossom trees, too.)
Meteorologist Carrie Rose
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