Forget Cherries Look at the Plum Blossoms!

For the past three weeks we have been watching as all the plum trees around the neighbourhood, and my two bonsai plums, have been opening into quite intense displays. The Asian plum is a very long lasting tree blossom (compared to it's cherry cousin) and sends off a strong yet delicate fragrance into the air around the tree. This has made the start of spring really feel...um...springy. If you are ever in Japan around this time of year ask the locals where a good park or farm or even a natural forest featuring "oume" (梅 ) is located. This plant is a great one to take in as it is scented pleasantly and provides an interesting contrast with it's bare twiggy branches.



We took a trip to the walk behind our friend Seiji's psyche hospital (his job is there, not a patient) and although a rainy day, the sight of so many plum blossoms on a terraced slope was incredibe. Definitely a relieving stroll for a sufferer of dementia.






Jackie posing with the plum out the front of our house, quite a nice view for the past few mornings, actually I think this is the first picture of our place. Spring is really here, the plums told me so.