Two years later, the Japanese sent a second gift. Unfortunately the trees were infested with insects and had to be subsequently destroyed. to be planted along the banks of the Potomac. In January 1910, a gift of 2000 trees arrived in D.C. Taking a different tack, she wrote to First Lady Helen Taft, who promptly offered to donate 200 trees to the Tidal Basin and asked Tokyo’s mayor to do the same. That said, Scidmore wasn’t one to give up easily. (Upon learning that the trees were strictly ornamental, officials saw no reason at all to plant them.) But federal officials denied her request due to fears the trees would need 24-hour policing to prevent people from stealing fruit. Thinking cherry trees would be a good fit, Scidmore petitioned the government. How the new landscape would be planted remained an open question. Meanwhile, back in D.C., the Army Corp of Engineers was engaged in reclaiming lands along the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers. Its short-lived glory makes it all the more keen and enjoying. In 1885, during a visit to Japan, she was awestruck by the flowering tree. But long before that, they had caught the eye of American journalist Eliza Scidmore. Washington D.C.’s cherry trees originated as a gift of friendship from Japan to the American people in the early 1900’s. It is estimated that more than 1,500,000 visitors come to the National Mall each year to view the magnificent blossoms. By 8:00 am, there are usually thousands of people already snapping pictures under the fluffy pink canopy. To avoid the crowds, we always arrive early on the National Mall. Still other years, fickle winds have spelled the early demise of the delicate blooms. Some years, I’ve worn a heavy jacket to see the flowers. And due to this long-standing tradition, I am a keen observer of the weather. for decades, I’ve come to associate spring with the blossoming of the cherry trees around the Tidal Basin.
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