The South Coast Botanic Garden is celebrating the highly-anticipated arrival of cherry blossoms with a series of special celebrations taking place through March.
“Cherry blossoms are deeply rooted in Japanese culture and we want to help showcase some of that culture and history, and educate Garden visitors about these extraordinary blossoms,” said Adrienne Nakashima, CEO of the South Coast Botanic Garden. “Traditionally we’ve had a Cherry Blossom Festival during a single weekend in the month of March, but this year we felt it was necessary to expand it.”
The celebrations kick off with the Blossom Hunt running daily from March 1 through May 31. This new program celebrates not only cherry blossoms, but also rose and poppy blossoms. Grab a map before heading off to explore the Garden’s 87 acres and you’ll be guided to the areas where spring is blooming to life. Because these flowers bloom at different times, the Blossom Hunt will offer guests new experiences every visit.
“The Garden comes to life in the spring with different blooms and colors daily,” Nakashima said. “The Blossom Hunt will help lead Garden visitors to these blooms to ensure they don’t miss out on any of these beautiful flowers.”
Though the Blossom Hunt celebrates a variety of blooms, cherry blossoms take center stage at Sip and Paint: Cherries and Mimosas on March 7. Participants will be guided by local artist Teresa Venturo to create their own 9”x12” cherry blossom watercolor masterpiece while sipping mimosas.
While that event is for attendees aged 21 and over, the Garden’s Family Night Out is the perfect event for the entire family. Happening on March 13, Family Night Out will include traditional Japanese drumming by Yuujou Daiko and an acoustic performance by Daniel Lopilato. The event will also include free Origami demonstrations by the Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute and cherry blossom-themed bento meals from Okamoto Kitchen. To top it off, Garden visitors will be able to take the Blossom Hunt at night!
That same weekend on March 15, Pint Fermin will teach Make Your Own Kombucha: Cherry Blossom Blend where participants will learn how to flavor their own bottle of kombucha. And lastly, there will be docent-led tours to educate tour participants about the seasonal blooms.
