Vancouver’s Best Blossoms
It’s that time of year again when Vancouver shows off its best blossoms. We were gifted with a couple of sunny days when the blossoms decorated the streets in all directions. Unfortunately today it is bucketing it down with rain, so most of these fluffy pink flowers will be soggy.
Yesterday I took a super-long, winding route home to go and view some of the blossoms before they drop their petals in the rain. None of the blossoms in this post were in parks or botanical gardens, they were just lining residential streets.
Vancouver’s Best Blossoms – Sakura
I blooming love cherry blossoms. They are often white, rather than pink, but they are just sooo pretty when you stand underneath them and look up at the sky.
Vancouver blossom varieties
If you look closely at the blossoms, there are sooo many different types of cherry blossoms in Vancouver. I didn’t know many of these, so I have looked at photos online and made my best guesses. I found a list of types of trees from the US NPS service here, and a guide to Japanese varieties here.
This gorgeous (possibly yamazakura) tree was on the corner of 18th Ave and Discovery street.
Follow blossom-filled bike lanes
Quite a few of the prettiest streets were actually along Vancouver’s bike lanes. The next photos were on the Ridgeway cycle route at Quesnel drive, then on Cypress street and Angus drive.
Vancouver’s Best Blossoms – Magnolias
Don’t forget to look out for all the magnolia trees as well! I found several streets lined with sweet smelling magnolia blossoms (and I worked out their names from this website.) The loebner magnolia with it’s pink shaggy flowers is pretty awesome.
I loooved this street on 21st Avenue and Blenheim. The ground was covered in snow-like petals and it smelled wonderful. I think this was kobus magnolia.
This saucer magnolia (on 22nd Avenue near Main street) might be my favorite.
Vancouver blossom close ups
Back to the cherry blossoms, this tree on Quesnel drive was a delicate pink with single petals. Isn’t it lovely!? I think it might be Takesimensis cherry tree.
This was a close up of the flowers on the Ridgeway cycle lane. I think it might be yamazakura – like the flowers in Yoshino!
My favorite was this super fluffy-looking tree. I think it is kanzan cherry tree. This one was on Angus drive on 36th Avenue.
Blossoms won’t last long!
Vancouver’s Best Blossoms actually come in several waves. These first trees are in bloom now, but I could see quite a few trees that were only just starting to show their pink buds. The rain may have spoiled the trees that I photographed yesterday, but hopefully they’ll be some more popping out in the next few weeks.
All of this was from one journey home from work. My normal 50 minute commute took 2 hours as I wiggled my way to see patches of blossoms on my bike.
16 thoughts on “Vancouver’s Best Blossoms”
Wow! I thought we had beautiful blooms with all of D.C.’s cherry blossoms, but those are spectacular!
Oooh I have seen photos of the cherry blossoms in DC, they look amaaaazing! The blossoms here are pretty lovely, but they are all just on the streets, so you can’t really stop for a drink/picnic under the flowers.
They are great for cycling though.
Beautiful!! Cherry blossom season was my favourite part of the year in Korea!
I was the same in Japan!
Living there has left me with a need to go and look at blossoms every spring!
p.s. Do they do hanami in Korea (getting drunk while looking at all the flowers)?
I get a feeling I might miss the cherry blossoms because I am travelling to India. But I am counting on the fact that all seasons arrive a bit late in NYC. The blossoms in your parts and your photographs of them are stunning. They must be such a joy to behold.
Ooooooh you’re heading to India! I will look forward to your posts about it! <3 You can always see the blooms next year!
Yes, those blossoms made me so, sooo happy. Even on an overcast day like yesterday they decorated the streets beautifully.
Wow, wow, wow!! I love them all. Cherry blossoms are so pretty. It’s a shame they don’t stick around longer. One of my favorite blooming trees is the redbud. We had them all over where I lived in California, but I don’t see them around Vicksburg too much. We have a lot of tulip trees and right now the azaleas are just loaded with blossoms. Spring is sure pretty this year. It was a long time coming, but it was worth the wait.
Patricia Rickrode
w/a Jansen Schmidt
You’re right. It is a shame that they don’t stick around for longer…but I guess it is a good excuse to MAKE you go outside and appreciate them as soon as they start flowering!
Vicksburg sounds wonderful with tulip trees and azaleas. <3
Josy, you did the right thing. The rain can quickly ruin the flowers, but which cornucopia of beauty you’ve captured with your camera 💖
I’ll take my bike next week 😊
They seemed to have survived the first rainy day, but we have a few more coming up.
I’ll probably go back out with my camera next week as well! 😀 I hope you find pretty views on your bike too!
Thanks for the blossom show. Just beautiful! I’m away so am missing it this year.
I saw some beeeautiful cherry blossoms around Kitsilano when I first arrived in Vancouver! They soon disappeared though, so I didn’t get any wonderful photos really. Yours are amazing! 😀
Thanks Clazz! I think the blossoms are a bit better this year (I remember last year they were all rained on as soon as they bloomed!)
How are the blossoms in Edinburgh!?
Haven’t really seen any here, unfortunately! Saw some LOVELY ones in London though! 🙂
Oooh I wonder if they will appear as it warms up!
In the UK, I always loved the plum blossoms and the apple blossoms even more than the sakura!