In Full Bloom

Washington, D.C. might be known for them, but the certainly had something to brag about Saturday with cherry blossom trees in full bloom for its first Cherry Blossom Picnic Day.

Nearly 500 people came to enjoy a picnic under the cherry blossoms.

“It is wonderful,” local resident Chris Lawrence said. “Driving up the road to see them, they are so beautiful.

“It is the first weekend it hasn’t been raining in a long time, so that is nice.”

The most common variety of flowering fruit trees at the Garden, with about 85, the Pink Cloud Japanese Flowering Cherry trees bloom from late February to early March.

The majority of the trees were planted in the '80s when 300 of them were donated by horticulturist and nurseryman Hodge Amemiya.

Along with the cherry blossoms, the garden, nestled along Crenshaw Boulevard in Palos Verdes Estates, has more than 200,000 trees, plants and shrubs on its 87 acres.

“My kids love it here. They could spend all afternoon,” Ellie Handler, garden member, said, who brought her entire family to the picnic. “It has a different feel than just going to the park.”

Chief Executive Officer Adrienne Lao said the event showed the garden as a place families could come to relax and appreciate nature.

Member Mike Lawrence brought his entire family to the garden, including his 13-month-old daughter Abigail, who wandered around their picnic.

“This has been a 'welcome to spring' event for a lot of the families,” Lao said. “I think it is great to have this option so close for the families and this community because it really is an example of sustainability.”

The garden became one of the world’s first botanical gardens developed on a sanitary landfill in 1961.

Now, with more than 2,700 members, lectures, classes and concerts take place at the garden.

 “It goes to show you that high rises and buildings aren’t always the answer and that with enough commitment and resources, something like this can exist,” Lao said.

Connor Parker, a Palos Verdes high school student, who came to the event with a friend, believes the garden is a nice change of pace compared to other parts of the Peninsula.

“It is like the one place that is preserved,” Parker said. “It's like Palos Verdes without the houses.”

Lao hopes the picnic also will set the stage for next year’s 100th anniversary of the Japanese gift of 3,000 cherry blossom trees to the U.S.

“It is a great start and we peaked interest in many groups,” Lao said. “If anything, it was a great start to something special that could take place for next year.”