Cherry Blossoms and Southern Blooms

When I was asked recently to do a favor for my son's school I wondered what it might be...


Each year in March, this historic Southern town in which I live celebrates the beauty of over 350,000 blooming Yoshino cherry trees with the annual International Cherry Blossom Festival{Washington D.C. only has 3,750 cherry trees.}


Or as the locals refer to it, "The Pinkest Party on Earth."


The favor I was asked was to make a cherry blossom wreath for the front entrance of the school.   So with some ideas in mind and not wanting to create an "off the rack" bubble gum pink cherry blossom wreath {which everyone in town had hanging on their doors}, but something more elegant and evocative of Southern garden style, I purchased arm loads of artificial magnolias, paper roses, and cherry blossoms


I also grabbed spools of pink, coral, and citrus green ribbon which were used for opulent and flouncy bows on the stair railing leading to the entrance of the school.


With a thirty inch natural grapevine wreath, I began adding the magnolias...


...and then some sprigs of cherry blossoms.


A Spring wreath would not be complete without a bird's nest nestled in it, so I created a nest with some more grapevines, Spanish moss, and some pink speckled eggs.  The blossoms that fell off the of the sprigs as I was working landed onto the moss in the nest and stayed there.


With lots of wire I secured the nest onto the inside of the finished wreath resting between the elegant Southern blooms.


The first Yoshino cherry blossom trees were given  to the United States in 1912 by Japan to celebrate the nations' then growing friendship.  The cherry blossom represents good fortune, it's an emblem of love and affection , and of course signifies the beginning of Spring.


Now the wreath was ready to go to the school...


...but I did like having it here for a while.


This wreath turned out so sweet that I wanted to keep it for our home!




However, we did not want to be late and it was time to go to school.

And it is loved


Instead of a wreath on our front door, we've got millions of cherry blossoms blooming on our old Yoshino cherry tree in our garden. 


When the breeze blows, these fragrant almond scented blooms and pale pink and white petals fall like snowflakes.  


Spring is truly a beautiful time in the South.


What a gift Japan gave usThank you.

May you enjoy your first weekend of Spring.

Ciao amici,
Suzanne

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PS
Linking up with the pretty in pink blogs at Pink Saturday.

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