Don’t miss High Park in full bloom
The famous cherry blossoms will hit their peak this week, but they won’t be here long
Nature lovers and Instagram enthusiasts, assemble! The High Park cherry blossoms, also known as sakura, are blooming, with peak flowers expected Monday or Tuesday.
After a disappointing season in 2016, when cold weather caused the blooms to miss their peak, 2017 is on track to see the trees break out in thousands of beautiful flowers.
According to the High Park Nature Centre, the trees were only at three to five per cent bloom Saturday. The centre predicted Thursday that the blossoms would hit peak season on Monday or Tuesday.
The blooms usually last about a week after the first blossoms appear, making this last week of April the optimal time to go.
Despite a 30-per-cent chance of rain Tuesday, which may disturb the flowers, the weather Monday will generally be warm and sunny, which is ideal for the cherry blossoms.
“It looks now like there is a high chance of rain on Tuesday but less than1mm expected so if that forecast does not change, I wouldn’t expect a serious negative impact on the blossoms,” said Diana Teal, executive director of the High Park Nature Centre.
Environment Canada predicts that Monday’s high will reach 14 C and Tuesday’s 10 C.
Wednesday’s weather is expected to be a mix of sun and cloud with a high of 14 C.
With rain expected for the end of the week, Monday to Wednesday would be the ideal time to enjoy the blossoms before they’re gone.
Toronto’s three cherry blossom watch websites (the High Park Na- ture Centre, Sakura in High Park and High Park Toronto) all advise visitors to take transit and come early in the day to avoid the hundreds of visitors that flood the park in search of the flowers each year.
According to High Park Toronto, there is often a shortage of parking spaces and long lines to the washrooms during blooming season because of the influx of visitors, so going on a weekday may be preferable.
The first 2,000 High Park sakura were given to Toronto in 1959 on behalf of the citizens of Tokyo by Toru-Hagiwara, Japan’s ambassador to Canada at the time, to recognize the city’s acceptance of the Japanese after the Second World War.
Cherry blossom trees can be found in several other locations around the city, including Trinity Bellwoods Park, the University of Toronto’s St. George campus and Centre Island. With files from Jackie Hong and May Warren