High Park cherry blossoms in Toronto expected to reach peak bloom earlier this year

The cherry blossoms will return to High Park in Toronto in 2021 and if the latest indications are accurate, they'll be arriving ahead of schedule this year.

According to Toronto-based sakura expert Steven Joniak, the recent warm temperatures in the city  have the buds blooming ahead of schedule.

Even the brief bursts of cold weather over the past few weeks have done little to affect the progress. Joniak sighted a generous number of well-rounded buds with pink coloured tips on the over 60-year-old trees during his visit to High Park this past week. 

"Everywhere I looked, the branches appeared to look very healthy and have numerous blossom buds, promising a magnificent bloom showing for this year," the sakura watcher writes in his latest report of the season. 

"Even when I ventured further down along Grenadier Pond, I continued to see similar progress on the mature and younger trees. All signs appear to signal that the buds' are getting ready to enter the next stage of development."

With more warm days ahead, we're on track for the colours to fully take effect the last week of April this year. That's a full one to two weeks earlier than the usual blooming period during the first to the second week of May. 

The latest stay-at-home order and other lockdown restrictions mean it's likely viewings of the trees will be virtual and the park will be closed off like last year to prevent crowds, though the City hasn't announced anything yet. 

Regardless of how we'll be able to take in the sight, I'm sure many of us will be grateful for some pop of colour.