The High Park cherry blossoms are in bloom, which you probably already know — because it seemed like half of Toronto descended on the park this weekend. As beautiful as the trees are (and they really are stunning), their annual blossoming has become as much a people watching event as anything else. Witnessing the photographic impulse on display is nothing short of remarkable, whether it be the pros out with their tripods or the tourist-types with their iPads/tablets (memory would probably preserve the image better than these cameras). And the froth-mouthed frenzy over cherry trees isn't limited to Toronto, either. The hashtag #cherryblossom on Instagram yields a whopping 218,000+ photographs.
A gift from the Japanese Ambassador to Canada in 1959, High Park's sakura trees have never been more popular, so be prepared to battle the crowds. Midweek visits are sure to be less of a mob scene, but if you plan to take it all in, it's probably a good idea to avoid driving/parking in High Park unless you plan to arrive early in the morning. It was gridlock on Saturday and Sunday, and nothing screams bucolic more than a line of cars searching (in vain) for precious parking spots. Given its proximity to the subway and easy accessibility by bike, those are your best bets.
Given the snap-happy frenzy, we asked our Instagram followers to share their favourite photos of the cherry blossoms using the hashtag #cherryblossomTO. Here are some of the best pics.
Photo by eleanor19.
Photo by mc_dor.
Photo by blogTO.
Photo by gurdishgill.
Photo by braejade.
Photo by owenmccabe.
Photo by jetsuka.
Photo by todreamsproject.
Photo by nickkopa.
Photo by davidgtran.
Photo by chinpua.
Photo by kimetwell.
Photo by saradeenap.
Photo by mike_bizz.
Don't forget the cherry blossoms at Robarts Library. Photo by adamclutch.