Cherry blossom in Bonn Traders and residents speak their minds about the tourist spectacle
Bonn · The cherry blossom in Bonn’s Altstadt is a treat for many visitors. But not all traders and residents look at the spectacle through rose-coloured glasses. Here are some opinions.
Carola Engels can look at magnificent blossoms all year round because she works with flowers. Her master florist's certificate hangs above the counter of her Breite Straße shop. Her products include lush tulips, red roses and delicate arrangements. But the large, pink-flowering shrubs right outside her door are not for sale. When it comes to the Japanese ornamental cherry, she recommends nurseries, she says. She does not profit commercially from the tourist spectacle, and as a local, she has mixed feelings. Although lots of people come into her shop and look at the flowers, they usually leave without a bouquet. "We pay attention to all the visitors to our shop. That costs time, but doesn't bring in more money during the cherry blossom." But she says she does sell more pink flowers during the cherry blossom.
She likes the ornamental cherry trees. "The cherry blossom is wonderful. I can still appreciate it even after all these years. But the hype around it has become huge. I'm dreading the weekend; it will be packed." She said the city administration had taken the right measure with the street closures at weekends, even if this could be an obstacle for some residents despite exemption rules.
More visitors in shops because of the cherry blossom
The ice cream parlour "Ciao.Ciao", on the other hand, profits from the many blossom tourists. The manager of the shop, David (who does not want to see his surname in print), talks openly about his increased revenue when the trees are in full bloom. "When the sun shines on the weekends, the shop is busy. It's great for our place. People enjoy the blossoms, lapping up one of our ice creams while they're at it." From next week, his staff will be offering "cherry blossom ice cream" one of their own concoctions. For David, the short-lived sight is also an asset in human terms. "Many visitors from all over the world travel to Bonn and marvel at these trees. At our shop, I get to talk to them."
Alvaro Vesga Vargas, who runs "La Tienda Latina", a specialist shop for Latin American goods on Heerstraße, agrees. "So many people come to my shop at this time, it's profitable for me too. I'm happy when the cherry trees blossom." His joy extends to taking videos and photos of the cherry blossom himself and posting them on Instagram.
The attraction of the cherry trees
Hairstylist Bernd Bracklow is cutting a man's dark blond hair and chats animatedly about the peculiarities of tourists. "You have to watch out for people lying on the pavement taking photos at dusk. Otherwise, you step on them." After all these years, he himself still enjoys the attraction of the trees and their sometimes bizarre effects on people. He doesn't have more customers at flowering time, but his craft is in demand every day anyway, he says. He criticises what he sees as drastic pruning by the city of Bonn: the arborists have exaggerated in some places.
Most of the residents interviewed think that in general, the cherry blossom has a positive impact on the city. Even if only for a few weeks, Bonn is at least "florally" in the limelight. And the years of the Coronavirus pandemic are over, when residents could only go jogging with an ID card, because they had to prove they lived there when they returned.
At the end of the flowering season, the splendour causes work for the residents, because large quantities of petals fall to the ground in the streets. The florist from Breite Straße sweeps them up in front of her shop door. "When it's wet, the petals are slippery," she warns. Carola Engels doesn't have to reach for the broom yet and can admire the splendour of the blossoms directly through the window.
Original text: Dominik Knur
Translation: Jean Lennox
