Every spring, I try to make a trip to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens to see the cherry blossom...and the tulips...and the lilacs. The Bronx Botanical Gardens - officially the New York Botanical Garden - are lovely, too, and better known, but it's the cherry blossom in Brooklyn that brings me back again and again.

Most years, my plans fall apart.  The cherry blossom in the Brooklyn Gardens apparently celebrates its birthday at the end of April/beginning of May - without fail.  (Can it read a calendar?) And in New York, that time of year the weather is erratic, to say the least.  Most years, I plan the days off, and a storm comes up and blows away the blossom.

Some years, however, it works, and I spend a lovely day wandering the lanes of cherry blossom (dozens of trees), ooh-ing and ah-ing over the tulips, and inhaling blissfully the scent of the lilac trees (and dodging the bees).

While cherry blossom season has always attracted lots of Japanese families celebrating their traditional spring festival, in recent years I've noticed more and more families of Orthodox Jews in the gardens. This last year, especially, the cherry blossom bloomed during Passover, and lots of families arrived straight from temple.  The photo at right with the pansies and the little brother and sister is one of my favorites.

And if you do get to the Brooklyn Gardens, consider seeing the Brooklyn Museum. It's magnificent, and you're right there anyway.

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The cherry esplanade at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens.	A closer look at the cherry blossom.	I don't know what kind of tree this is, except that it's not cherry.
Big brother to the rescue, yarmulke slipping to one side and glasses to the other.	The Japanese Garden is breathtaking, especially in spring.	Another view of the Japanese garden.
Families in all shapes and sizes love the tulips.	Families everywhere - it's a popular outing.	Banks of tulips everywhere, in glorious color.
More tulips!	If you look carefully, you'll see the ducks, one flipped head-down.	Japanese yellow roses - gorgeous!
Several people have told me this picture is now their computer's wallpaper!	White cherry blossom - I was practising zooming the camera!