Tree Party

A Young Tree Discovery

In August of 1974, when I first bought a small 1918’s bungalow in Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood, a small tree was growing just outside the large picture window on the west side of the house. After closer investigation, I noticed some fat, pale green buds—with delicate, furry-looking coats—nestled among the leaves near the top branches. But I had no idea what kind of tree it was.

Then, the following spring, it bloomed.

Armed with a few photos of the tree’s ethereal and magical blossoms, I sought out identifying information at a local plant nursery and found out that the tree was a pink magnolia soulangeana, a vigorous hybrid that can grow to nearly 40 feet in the right setting.

Every spring for the next twenty-five years I watched the tree grow larger. When I learned that the annual display and celebratory viewing of cherry blossoms in Japan was a much-anticipated tradition that reached back hundreds of years, I decided to replicate a version of these festivities at my own home, to communally honor the blooming of my magnolia tree. The Queen Anne Tree Party was born, and from 2000 through 2018, my tree became an Honored Queen.

The Japanese revelers pictured in the photo below were my inspiration:

In Japan, flowering cherry blossoms are called “sakura”, and the blooms usually peak at the start of April. “Hanami” is the Japanese word for the tradition of viewing and revering cherry blossoms. This custom is centuries old, dating back to the Nara period around 710 AD. 

To celebrate and honor the sakura, the Japanese spread out their picnics under the cherry trees from morning through evening, as they contemplate cherry blossom beauty while enjoying festive foods and beverages. And since the blossoms only hold their blooms for a couple of weeks, as a result they have become symbols of renewal and the fleeting nature of life. My magnolia tree parties were an extension of this same philosophy.

The annual cherry blossom festivities in Japan also inspired the writing of countless haiku—a uniquely Japanese poetry form that penetrates to the interior essence of any experience in only three lines.

The haiku poem shown below, by a little known, nineteenth century female poet, sums up the spirit of hanami:

“When the cherry blossoms bloomed,
they brought beauty to my heart.”
     —Tatsu-Jo

     from The Moon in the Pines—Zen Haiku, by Jonathan Clements

A Tree Party Gallery

The Tree Party photo gallery below features highlights taken from my magnolia tree parties in years past, each one reflecting a new celebratory homage to the original Japanese tradition.  An array of guests from age 7 to 70 arrived each spring to enjoy good company, food, laughter, live music, a spring dance, a nice glass of something bubbly, a live poetry reading, and to top it off—a slice of special cake.

If you have a beautiful, flowering tree on your property, try to host your own tree viewing party when the blossoms open. If you do not have a tree of your own, there are public parks and arboretums that would welcome respectful viewers. You just need a blanket and a picnic basket. Good luck and enjoy your spring!

The Tree Party Poetry Reading

An abundance of original or published Spring poems were presented each year—with the blooming tree just outside the front windows.

Testimonials