For a few weeks each year, cherry blossoms and other early-blooming flowers transform urban spaces around the globe. The interplay between nature, architecture and culture creates a unique, fleeting magic.
Image: Imaginechina/Sipa USA/picture alliance
Spring awakening
Along the waterfront promenade in Potsdam, eastern Germany, the cherry trees are in full bloom, their delicate pink blossoms glowing in the sunshine. Unlike in Japan, where the blossoms are celebrated with the practice of hanami, or “flower viewing,” in Germany they are primarily a quiet harbinger of spring.
Image: Jens Kalaene/dpa/picture alliance
Central Park in pink
In New York’s Central Park, the cherry trees are in full bloom in front of the San Remo building. Many of these trees trace their origins to a gift from Japan that arrived in the United States in 1912 as a symbol of friendship.
Image: Bianca Otero/ZUMA/picture alliance
Vibrant Vancouver
At David Lam Park in Vancouver, people gather for the Blossoms After Dark event, where illuminated cherry blossoms bathe the night in colorful light — a free, community-oriented event.
Image: Liang Sen/Xinhua/dpa/picture alliance
Pretty in pink
Amid the pink blossoms in Bonn’s Old Town in western Germany, the cherry blossoms cast their fleeting spell. In Germany, ornamental cherry trees usually bloom for only one or two weeks — a gentle reminder of the precious fleeting beauty. Every year, Bonn’s Old Town attracts thousands of visitors as a highlight of spring.
Image: Marc John/Bonn.digital/picture alliance
Historic backdrop
Delicate blossoms frame the view of the Great Wall of China, which winds through the landscape outside Beijing like a stone ribbon. Built over the course of many dynasties, the UNESCO World Heritage Site stretches for more than 21,000 kilometers (13,000 miles) and is considered one of humanity’s greatest engineering feats.
Image: Chen Yehua/Xinhua/picture alliance
Romance on the Alster
Every spring, the cherry blossoms along Hamburg’s Alster River add a distinct seasonal touch to the cityscape. In the background, the Alster Fountain, reaching heights of up to 60 meters (200 feet), dominates the downtown skyline. For a few weeks, nature and the urban environment visibly converge here — and visitor numbers along the riverbank are correspondingly high.
Image: Marcus Brandt/dpa/picture alliance
Smile, spring is here!
Two women in traditional dress pose among blossoming peach trees in Xi’an, in northwest China. The garments are part of what is known as hanfu, a modern revival of historical Chinese clothing from the Han Dynasty. This scene is deliberately staged, especially during the brief blooming season, and has become a staple of urban spring imagery.
Image: Shao Rui/Xinhua/picture alliance
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Along the waterfront promenade in Potsdam, eastern Germany, the cherry trees are in full bloom, their delicate pink blossoms glowing in the sunshine. Unlike in Japan, where the blossoms are celebrated with the practice of hanami, or “flower viewing,” in Germany they are primarily a quiet harbinger of spring.
In New York’s Central Park, the cherry trees are in full bloom in front of the San Remo building. Many of these trees trace their origins to a gift from Japan that arrived in the United States in 1912 as a symbol of friendship.
At David Lam Park in Vancouver, people gather for the Blossoms After Dark event, where illuminated cherry blossoms bathe the night in colorful light — a free, community-oriented event.
Amid the pink blossoms in Bonn’s Old Town in western Germany, the cherry blossoms cast their fleeting spell. In Germany, ornamental cherry trees usually bloom for only one or two weeks — a gentle reminder of the precious fleeting beauty. Every year, Bonn’s Old Town attracts thousands of visitors as a highlight of spring.
Delicate blossoms frame the view of the Great Wall of China, which winds through the landscape outside Beijing like a stone ribbon. Built over the course of many dynasties, the UNESCO World Heritage Site stretches for more than 21,000 kilometers (13,000 miles) and is considered one of humanity’s greatest engineering feats.
Every spring, the cherry blossoms along Hamburg’s Alster River add a distinct seasonal touch to the cityscape. In the background, the Alster Fountain, reaching heights of up to 60 meters (200 feet), dominates the downtown skyline. For a few weeks, nature and the urban environment visibly converge here — and visitor numbers along the riverbank are correspondingly high.
Two women in traditional dress pose among blossoming peach trees in Xi’an, in northwest China. The garments are part of what is known as hanfu, a modern revival of historical Chinese clothing from the Han Dynasty. This scene is deliberately staged, especially during the brief blooming season, and has become a staple of urban spring imagery.