Japanese blossom tree circles coming soon to Exhibition Park
Exhibition Park has been chose as the location for the planting of Japanese-style circles of blossom trees, as part of the National Trust’s efforts to bring urban communities some hope and comfort during and after the pandemic.
The north east branch of the Trust told JesmondLocal the trees will be planted in the autumn and early winter, ready for a formal launch event in spring of 2022.
The planting initiative aims to create an equivalent to Japan’s annual “hanami” celebration of spring flowering. “Our simple ambition with this project is to bring all of these elements together in the creation of green, nature-rich havens in the very heart of urban areas that are also beautiful and inspiring spaces people can use,” said Hilary McGrady, director-general of the National Trust.
North East National Trust will plant the trees in conjunction with Newcastle City Council and Urban Green Newcastle. A spokesperson said it is consulting on the seating, landscaping and atmosphere of the site, and plans to draw up designs over the spring and summer.
Damson blossom in the orchards at Brockhampton. Credit: National Trust/ Steve Betts 
Cherry blossom growing at Wimpole, Cambridgeshire. Credit: National Trust Images/Catherine Hayburn
“As the trees will be young saplings, there won’t be an instant blossom display in 2022,” said the North East National Trust spokesperson. “But we hope that communities will enjoy watching these trees develop and the spectacle of blossom flourish, year on year. We hope they will use the site from the launch, however they need and want to, whether as a space for quiet personal reflection or for communal celebration, once it is safe to do so.”
Details of the number and type of trees have not been finalised, and local residents will be asked to suggest suitable locations for planting. “We would love to hear from local people about how these sites should look and feel, how they could be used and the seating and landscape design of each one,” the spokesperson said. “We want to hear as many local voices as possible.”
As one of the areas suffering from the worst impacts of the pandemic, east London will be the first site for these blossom circles. Then, along with Newcastle, blossom-inspired spaces will be created in Nottingham and Plymouth before the National Trust extends its initiative to cities across England, Wales and Northern Ireland during the next five years. The project is part of the Trust’s effort to plant 20 million trees during the next decade, to help tackle the climate crisis.