Cherries at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden

These huge snowy cherries flank the entrance to the garden from the Eastern Parkway.

I had never seen the cherries at this point of their bloom, only once thousands of petals lay on the ground, or very much earlier, in bud.

Even a Thursday afternoon was pretty busy, with flocks of humans pointing cameras at pink blossoms. Perhaps 'pretty' was invented for cherry blossom pink.

But compared with what it will be like this weekend, it was serene.

Perfect lawns for picnicking, except you may not. Brutal!!!

The huge old crabapples near the Eastern parkway entrance are gorgeous (as opposed to pretty) even though just past bloom, for most of them. I adore these trees, and think they must be my favourite. There is such delicacy in their flowers and petals, and they smell wonderful.

I hate the red azaleas.

I spent a lot of time in the native garden (post will come later) along with an elderly man on a cellphone who was telling the person on the other end exactly where he was and what he was looking at. Loudly. All the time. My death ray vision meant nothing to him. I felt like drowning him in the kettle pond.

Public gardens = cellphone ban.

The garden, the whole of it, was perfumed. It's the best smell I can think of. Lilac, crabapples, late Lonicera fragrantissima, utter deliciousness. Just lying there and sniffing must be good for you. If you can, go and sniff.