A town in the North East of the UK boasts the world’s largest collection of Taihaku cherry blossom trees.
Located next to Alnwick Castle in Northumberland, The Alnwick Garden features 329 of these stunning trees, which bloom simultaneously for up to two weeks between April and May. The Taihaku Cherry Blossom, also known as the ‘Great White’, is renowned for its clusters of 7cm long blooms that resemble snow, as described on The Alnwick Garden’s website.
A social media user, Olivia, also known as The Northernist, shared a captivating video on TikTok showcasing the breathtaking white blossoms in full bloom. The seven-second clip reveals narrow pathways surrounded by Taihaku cherry blossom trees, as well as a charming swinging bench where visitors can sit and take in the picturesque scenery.
According to The Alnwick Garden’s website, the history of these traditionally Japanese trees is fascinating: “In 1926 Captain Collingwood Ingram (“Cherry” Ingram) was invited to Japan to give a lecture to the Sakurai (cherry society). Whilst there he was shown an 18th century book of a large, white cherry blossom that had become extinct. He recognised the same blossom on a cherry tree which had been imported to a Sussex garden in 1899 and was able to take cuttings from it and reintroduce the lost Taihaku to Japan in 1932.”
All Taihaku cherry trees in cultivation today are descendants of that single tree found in Sussex. In the autumn, the leaves of the Taihaku turn a “beautiful coppery colour”, and in Japan, cherry blossoms hold a “deep cultural significance”, symbolising the beauty and fragility of life.
The Taihaku boasts large, icy white flowers that bloom from pink buds in April. These flowers are larger than most ornamental cherry blossoms, earning it the nickname ‘Great White Cherry’, according to Ornamental Trees.
The garden tree company further explains: “A medium sized cherry blossom tree, Prunus ‘Taihaku’ will grow to 6 x 5 metres in 20 years and has a rounded habit. It is suited to most well-draining soils and is pollution tolerant so will do well in urban settings. Beautiful when used in avenue planting and or as a single specimen, the Great White Cherry tree is probably one of the best white flowering Cherry trees available.”
In addition to the Taihaku cherry blossom trees, The Alnwick Garden also houses the Poison Garden. This garden is home to around 100 toxic, intoxicating and narcotic plants.
Visitors are strictly forbidden from smelling, touching or tasting any of these plants. The Poison Garden is secured behind black, iron gates and can only be visited on guided tours.
In the caption of her TikTok video, posted on April 20, Olivia urged: “It’s blossom season at @Alnwick Garden. You don’t have long to catch this spectacle! I’d say there’s about a week left of the petals, so if you want to see the blossom orchard in bloom, get your tickets booked ASAP.
“The Alnwick Garden boasts the world’s largest collection of Taihaku cherry blossoms, and when they’re flowering, it’s simply a breathtaking sight – a sea of stunning white petals. Even outside of bloom time, the gardens are magnificent, but now is an incomparable time to visit!”.
Olivia’s post has captivated over 100 TikTok users, sparking comments that liken the garden to paradise. Several users exclaimed: “I imagine that’s what heaven looks like…so beautiful”, “Omggggosh. Sometimes I imagine if this is how heaven might look” and “so incredible, my idea of heaven.”
For those seeking to experience The Alnwick Garden’s wonder, day tickets can be purchased via its website for £17.20 per adult, allowing four children to accompany each adult free of charge, with an additional child ticket priced at £6. On-site prices are £19.20 per adult and £8 for each fifth child, since the first four kids gain free entry with a paying adult.