In the Northern Hemisphere, spring officially begins on March 21, but the cherry blossoms in Hawaii's mountain gardens are telling us that spring has already arrived. In just one week, we're celebrating the 30th Annual Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival. Saturday, February 4th will be the official holiday, but now you can see those beautiful trees start to bloom.
There are many stories about our cherry blossoms. The first major transplant of Waimea took place in 1953 to commemorate and encourage the harmonious fusion of Hawaiian and Japanese cultures. This was especially important
Because not even a decade has passed since World War II. In Hawaii, people have struggled to heal the wounds of the past.
Seeing the awakening beauty of cherry blossoms has profound spiritual significance and has been celebrated in Japan since the seventh century. There are many myths and legends associated with the tree or as it is called sakura. It represents rebirth, renewal, new beginnings, and the beginning of spring. This is the main reason for respect for nature in Japan. In Shinto and Buddhist folklore, the tree is said to contain the spirits of the dead. Note that bad luck will follow those who cut down the cherry tree or are mistreated.
Our next festival will include activities related to Japanese and Hawaiian culture as well as viewing the flowering trees. Plan to spend the day visiting Waimea stores and galleries. There will also be music and dancing. It will also be possible to see some examples of bonsai. You can also get ideas for bringing an oriental garden design to your Hawaiian garden.
In Hawaii, China and Japan, rocks and water are used to add interest to a garden. Rock water basins, often found outside coffee shops, are examples of rock and water used on a small scale. First, the participants in the tea ceremony wash their hands and at the same time symbolically clean the stain from the noisy and chaotic outside world. In almost any garden and for any reason, the gentle sound and sight of water lapping over cool stones is refreshing.
The use of stones and water is very common in private yards. Here we especially love the water lapping over the rocks in the shallow pools. We are blessed with a unique blend of eastern and western Hawaiian culture. Thanks to this, we have created tropical gardens with flavors of Japan, China, Bali or Thailand, with the colonial influence of the plantations of the last century. Even in the smallest garden yard or apartment balcony we can also try bonsai gardening.
Here in Hawaii, rocky terrain abounds. The trend over the past 40 years has been to build flat and then flatten the landscape. Today, we learn to appreciate stone shapes, water features, and plants as sculptures. The eastern influence of bonsai and penjing and other cultural contributions such as the Balinese veneration of bathing trees contribute to our awareness of the landscape.
There are many books that give you ideas on how to design and build your own unique garden. Sunset Books has premium editions available at bookstores and some garden stores. A nice book available at our local library is Tropical Asian Style. Some books on Balinese gardening are also good sources of ideas.
We live in one of the most unique places in the world where East meets West. This is how we celebrate the Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival to celebrate the contributions of all the cultures represented here.
