It’s still dark out when I get up, which must mean Spring is here (!), which in turn must mean the cherry trees are blossoming, which means it’s Cherry Blossom Festival Season. Descanso Gardens has a pretty spiffy one this weekend, complete with Japanese tea ceremonies, Japanese cooking demonstrations, cherry tree sales, guided tours of the Garden’s cherry tree collections, a lecture on the Prunus genus of stone fruits (cherries, plums, peaches), and, of course, Cherry-Tini cocktails. Not bad for the price of admission.

Cherry Blossom Festival
Sat. – Sun., March 19 – 20, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Descanso Gardens
1418 Descanso Drive, La Canada Flintridge
Descansogardens.org; 818.949.4200
Free with admission: $8, $6 students/seniors