Lumaparken in early May

Spring won't come to Stockholm until early May. Once it arrives, it's time to visit Lumaparken, a park in Hammarby sjöstad (a suburban district of Stockholm famous for its environmentally friendly city planning).



Around the rim of the park bloom cherry blossoms with a pink variety for the south half and a white one for the north (between which runs a tram line and its station). All cherry trees are planted on several straight lines with such an interval as branches of two adjacent trees overlap to form a ceiling of cherry flowers.








Cherry blossoms are, as far as I know, the only spring flowers blooming on tree branches (barring plum flowers which bloom at the end of winter). Tree branches can symbolize adventurousness because they go against the force of gravity. This symbolism is in sync with the arrival of spring, when plants start a new life and animals become active after a period of hibernation.




When we pass by under the ceiling of cherry branches dressed in pale pink flowers, perhaps our appreciation of the coming of spring unconsciously gets stimulated or enhanced because of this symbolism.

And Lumaparken achieves this psychological effect of cherry blossoms very well by carefully designing the location of cherry blossoms. It only matters for such a brief period of the year, but in a city of six-month long winter, it is worth it.

(Seen behind cherry blossoms is the blue and white carriages of a tram running through the park.)