Each spring, thousands of flowering cherry blossom trees turn Washington’s Tidal Basin into a pink and white wonderland. One local Catholic is bringing their beauty to her parish grounds.
Cherry blossom lover Jenny Blakemore never misses a peak bloom. The pretty petals have a special place in her heart.
The flower provided the backdrop for her and her husband’s love story, inspired her aesthetic and deepened her faith. “I find God in the cherry blossoms — they’re so beautiful,” said Blakemore, a parishioner of St. James Church in Falls Church. “They’re magical and only God can make that. It is heaven.”
Washington’s cherry blossom trees first came from Japan more than a century ago. In 1912, 3,020 cherry trees of 12 varieties were shipped from Japan as a gift for the United States. According to the National Park Service, the trees arrived in Seattle and were transported in insulated freight cars across the country. Over the next several years, hundreds of the Yoshino variety were planted along the waters of the Tidal Basin, while other trees were planted at East Potomac Park and at the White House grounds. In 1915, former President William Taft sent the people of Japan flowering dogwood trees in return.
Blakemore’s love of the flower truly blossomed when she was able to plant a tree as part of the 100th anniversary cherry blossom celebration. Since then, her devotion has only grown.
Her husband, Chris, proposed to her under a flowering cherry blossom. A year later, they were married in a flowery pink-themed wedding. “I had all pink bridesmaids and flower girls, pink flowers, cherry blossom pins on all the groomsmen, pink uplighting (at the reception), pink everything,” said Blakemore.
Today the couple has two dogs and three children: Lucy, 8, Lily, 6, and Daisy, 5. Cherry blossom trees adorn the yard of their Falls Church home. Inside, even the walls are pink. “Our whole house is pretty much pink. This was before we had kids and then we ended up having three girls,” said Blakemore.
As the girls got older, the couple decided to send their children to St. James School. It’s been a great experience, said Blakemore. “I think it’s a wonderful school and they’re taking really good care of my kids in a God-loving way,” she said. But she did have one concern. Blakemore, who was raised Presbyterian, wanted to learn more about the Catholic faith. “I wanted to learn what they were going to teach my (daughters),” she said. She also felt it was important to attend the church where her kids attended school. So, after a year of preparation, she entered the Catholic Church last Easter. She chose the nature- and-animal-loving St. Francis of Assisi as her patron saint.
These days, the family is gearing up for peak bloom, when 70 percent of the Yoshino Cherry blossoms are open, which this year is predicted to be March 28-31. They’re also excited for the National Cherry Blossom Festival, a weekslong celebration held March 20-April 13. Popular events include the Opening Ceremony, the Japanese street festival, the Blossom Kite Festival, the festival parade and Petalpalooza, which ends with pink fireworks over the river. Blakemore likes that many of the events are free and family-friendly. “Everything is beautiful, everything is pink and it’s joyous,” she said.
One day, Blakemore dreams of seeing the bubblegum and snow-colored cherry blossoms in Japan. But for now, she’s spreading the love of cherry blossoms stateside. She worked with her daughter’s Girl Scout troop to plant a tree on the grounds of St. James, and she’s hoping to plant another soon. The tree is of the Kwanzan Cherry variety, which produces pink clusters of flowers and bloom after the Yoshinos.
“I would love for my girls to grow with the tree,” said Blakemore. “My dream is that one day they get married or they have a baby and they want to come take a picture by their tree.”
Maraist is a freelancer from Reston.
