Cherry blossom season runs from March through April on Roosevelt Island. The first burst of pink matures on the East Promenade, but at the same time, fresh plantings point to a dazzling future.
by David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News

Cherry Blossom Season With a Promising Future
As we showed last week, the first buds of spring cracked winter’s chilly surface on the East Promenade. Succeeding batches will break out in sequence until the last in late April. It makes for an ongoing visual fanfare into spring. Thousands of visitors are expected by Tram and subway with the heaviest rush coming on the weekend of April 22nd, coinciding with Earth Day.
But not as visible yet is a commitment toward an even pinker future.
The Roosevelt Island Historical Society (RIHS), led by Judith Berdy, teamed up with Materials for the Arts (MFA) and RIOC, planting new trees set to add their own blossoms next year.

MFA added 8 more trees to 25 planted last year – with their first blossoms due this year, as cherry blossom season gets richer.
“Thanks to Matt Kibby and Eddie Perez from RIOC, Plant Specialists, for the planting,” said Berdy. “A special thanks to Tara Sansone at MFTA for arranging this anonymous donation.”
Kibby is Director, Horticulture and Grounds and Perez a Quality Control Administrator at the state agency.
This year’s plantings fill a row along the East River from Pony Field up through the Octagon Tennis Courts. In 2023, this will be a new parade of cherry blossoms that will grow richer in the years ahead.
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