As we trudge up out of the darkness and chill of winter, the sudden eruption of a haze of pink and white petals, buzzing with bees, heralds spring like nothing else. Breathtaking in its beauty but bittersweet in its brevity, cherry blossom is an annual treat for the senses.

Nowhere is cherry blossom more revered than in Japan, where sakura, as it is known there, is a symbol of the transience of life. Or, as garden designer Sophie Walker puts it more bluntly, death. Walker, who is writing a book about Japanese gardens, explains: “The whole point of blossom is that it is fragile, that it is susceptible to death. The Buddhist challenge is to come to terms with the inevitability of one’s own death.”

The advent of the blossom is marked with a festival known as hanami (cherry blossom viewing), where family and friends put blue tarpaulins under the blossoming trees and come together to eat, drink and worship the prunus.

In Britain we are not immune to the charms of sakura and its symbolism. The tree is immortalised in AE Housman’s poem Loveliest Of Trees, in which he reflects that he has “little room” – by which he means 50 springs – “to see the cherry hung with snow”. For those of us with considerably fewer springs in which to witness the cherries bloom, it’s time to plant one in our garden or, failing that, soak up the sakura with a visit to a garden that features a cherry collection.

Caring for cherries

Ornamental cherries form part of the prunus family, along with the apricot, peach, plum and almond. Most ornamental cherries prefer full sun. These trees are fans of that elusive soil commonly described in gardening books as “deep, fertile, moist but well drained”. That said, they will cope with a wide range of soils, provided the ground is not waterlogged – they do object to wet feet. Cherries also hate being overcrowded, so pick a tree that will suit your space; check the list below for suggestions from the experts.

The traditional planting season for bare-root trees is autumn, winter and very early spring, but container-grown specimens can be planted at any time. All newly planted trees, but especially bare-root specimens, need watering during dry spells while they establish themselves.

Prunus x yedoensis. Photograph: Alamy

Stake the tree securely for the first few years and mulch the soil underneath to keep it free of weeds. Ornamental cherries don’t require much pruning: just remove dead, diseased or damaged growth in early to midsummer when the flowers have finished and the tree’s sap is flowing. This reduces the risk of infection by silverleaf disease through pruning cuts.

Cherry picks

Gardeners from UK gardens famed for their displays of cherry blossom choose their favourite types of ornamental prunus.

Yoshino cherry (Prunus x yedoensis)

This medium-sized ornamental hybrid cherry is a clear favourite, selected by almost every one of the experts. Tony Kirkham, head of the arboretum at Kew, calls it “a must for any cherry collection”. Its profusion of very pale pink, almond-scented single blossoms appears before the leaves, showing off the flowers to maximum effect. Trevor Jones of the Alnwick Garden says: “This makes for a tree full of character in the way that it grows with low branching and a heavy trunk.”

Prunus incisa ‘Kojo-No-Mai’

Harvey Stephens, deputy keeper of the Savill Garden, says this cherry flowers prolifically, with blooms of the palest pink, and offers burnt-red autumnal foliage, too. More a shrub than a tree, it should reach no more than 2.5m tall and is suitable for a container. See reader offer below.

P. pendula ‘Pendula Rosea’

Kirkham’s other choice, this drooping rosebud cherry forms a broad crown with graceful branching and small, delicate pink flowers in early spring, followed by good autumn colour.

P. ‘Little Pink Perfection’

Matthew Hall of Batsford Arboretum picks this tree out as good for tubs and small spaces. The blooms are double and a classic shade of cherry blossom pink, and the tree offers good autumn foliage colour as well. “This is a relatively new selection to me,” Hall says, “but it’s becoming more available. It grows to about half the size of ‘Pink Perfection’.”

P. ‘Snofozam’

David Logan, head gardener at Doddington Hall, loves this weeping hybrid cherry, known as ‘Snow Fountains’. “It weeps all the way down to the floor,” he says, “It’s a stunner.” Great for small gardens.

P. ‘Mount Fuji’

Mike Roser, an expert guide for Brogdale Collections in Kent, picks this tree, also known as ‘Shirotae’, for small front gardens or as a specimen. The flowers are dense, pure white and lightly fragrant.

P. x incam ‘Harlequin’

If you prefer single, dark pink blossoms, try this selection picked by Jane Barker, head of grounds at Keele University. “It has masses of single flowers in February and March and its variegated leaves add interest during the summer months. It’s also slow-growing and quite a small specimen, ideal for small gardens,” Barker says.

Sakura spots

The peak of cherry blossom season varies every year, depending on the weather, so check with gardens before visiting to ensure that you’ll get to see the sakura at its peak.

Alnwick Garden in Northumberland boasts an orchard of 350 of the great white cherry P. ‘Tai-Haku’, underplanted with pink ‘Mistress’ tulips and Allium ‘Purple Splendour’. Visit during cherry blossom weekend, 23 and 24 April, to see the orchard at its best.

Batsford Arboretum in Gloucestershire holds the national collection of Japanese village cherries (aka the Sato-Zakura group). Open daily.

Brogdale Farm in Kent is a living gene bank for fruit trees, and holds 350 flowering cherry varieties. Join their hanami festival on 16 April or visit for a hanami picnic from 6-30 April.

Doddington Hall in Lincolnshire holds a blossom festival from 17-24 April (excluding Saturday). Take a tour of the cherry walk, featuring three different types of cherry, at 1pm daily with head gardener David Logan, or sit on the croquet lawn and gaze at the cloud of blossom.

Keele University in Staffordshire holds national collection status for the more than 240 varieties of ornamental cherry that dot the campus. Download a map and guide from the university’s website before visiting.

Kew Gardens in London has a cherry walk planted with a range of cultivars including the double pink ‘Kanzan’ and the single white-flowered ‘Taki-nioi’. Join one of its spring awakening walks, starting daily at midday until 30 April, to see the best seasonal blossoms, including cherries.

The Savill and Valley Gardens, part of Windsor Great Park in Surrey, hold an extensive collection of Japanese cherries, including the national collection of Fuji cherries. The Dragon Easter Trail is at the Savill Garden until 11 April, offering a far eastern twist on the usual egg hunt.

Reader offer

Buy one 3.6-litre potted Prunus ‘Kojo-No-Mai’ for £16.99 or two for £25.99 (£4.95 p&p per order). Call 0330 333 6790, quoting ref GU515, or go to our Readers’ Offers page. Dispatched in four to six weeks.