Kariya Park’s Cherry Blossoms are Starting to Bloom

Every spring, Kariya Park turns into a pink paradise. The park features approximately 80 beautiful Japanese cherry blossom trees of different varieties and colours – a gift from Kariya, Japan, Mississauga’s Sister City. The City’s cherry blossoms in Kariya Park are expected to be in full bloom in the coming weeks, depending on the weather.

Cherry blossoms represent a time of renewal and optimism. Their pink pops of colour mark the beginning of spring. During this time, you can take part in the Japanese tradition of hanami or flower viewing.

The City’s cherry blossom trees typically reach their full peak in May. The trees need a minimum of 15 degrees Celsius for seven to ten days to fully bloom. While cherry blossom blooms are beautiful, their blooms only last a short period. Blooms can last up to two weeks. However, wind or rain can knock the flowers off the trees.

Visiting Kariya Park

Kariya Park is a beautiful Japanese-inspired park, in the city’s downtown core. It honours the City’s twin-city relationship with Kariya, Japan. It is home to several ornate garden beds, unique Japanese décor, a marsh and pond, rhododendrons, pines, ginkgo, sweetgum, magnolias and four different varieties cherry blossom trees. It also has a:

• Stone tsukabai basin – which was hand-carved by Fumio Naito, a sculptor from Kariya, Japan
• Zig-zag boardwalk, which crosses a marsh containing Japanese irises and other water-loving plants
• Cascade waterfall with overhanging red Japanese maple
• Dry stream bed, representing a flowing stream with different sizes of stones, carefully placed to imitate fast and slow-moving currents
• Duck pond with a turtle rock, which represents a turtle climbing out of the water
• Friendship Bell, located in the pavilion, which is rung on ceremonial occasions

The park is open seven days a week from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m. Paid on-street parking is available adjacent to the park on Kariya Drive, and Municipal Parking Lot #36, located at the south-east corner of Burnhamthorpe Road and Kariya Drive.

Practise Park Etiquette

When visiting Kariya Park, remember to:

• Stay on the trails.
• Respect the cherry blossom trees by not climbing the trees, pulling on the branches nor plucking off the blooms.
• Leave your dogs at home. Dogs are not permitted in the park. If you’re looking for a place to bring your dog, consider visiting a leash-free zone.
• Dispose of your waste in the proper bin.
• Only park in permitted areas. With limited parking available, consider using active transportation or taking MiWay to visit the park.
• Don’t feed wildlife like ducks, squirrels and turtles.

For more information, please visit mississauga.ca/parks. To find out when the blooms peak, follow @saugaparksrec and @citymississauga on Twitter for updates.

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Tags

• Parks and Forestry
• Things to Do