A gift of 30 cherry trees from Japan has been given to Dalemain Mansion as a symbol of friendship.
The trees were gifted by the Sakura Cherry Tree Project, which has donated 6,500 trees as part of the Japan-UK season of culture.
Dalemain has strong Japanese links.
Owner Jane Hasell-McCosh founded the Marmalade Awards in both the UK and Japan and received a Foreign Minister’s Commendation at the Embassy of Japan for her commitment to strengthening the bonds of friendship through marmalade and citrus.
The award ceremony was one of the first events to launch the Japan-UK Season of Culture. It is therefore very fitting that these cherry trees should stand as a lasting reminder of that special relationship.
Dalemain has received three types of cherry trees – the double pink Prunus Bene Yutaka, the magnificent white cherry Prunus Tai Haku and the Prunus Yedoensis, an excellent pollinator that will be very popular with the abundant wildlife at Dalemain.
The trees will be planted in the parkland beside the house to welcome visitors, and will become part of a ‘cherry blossom wave’, sweeping from south to north as the trees come into flower.
Jane said: “I am delighted and honoured to receive these trees, as a symbol of a relationship that is very important to me. I am so pleased that visitors to Dalemain will be able to see the glorious colour of the blossoms as they arrive.
“One of the Tai Haku will be planted in the centre of my gardens as a particular mark of respect for the former Japanese Ambassador Mr Koji Tsuruoka, whose support helped to enable the first Marmalade Festival in Japan to take place.
“The Marmalade Awards will be going ahead in both the UK and Japan this year, and it will be very exciting to see who the winners will be.’
