Chudenice - sakura alley
Sakura Alley on the edge of Chudenice attracts hundreds of people every year during the flowering season, who take pictures and admire the beautiful cherry blossoms. The crowns of these trees turn into huge pink pugets in the second half of April. But only a few of them know that this avenue has its own name. It is called "Youth Alley" here and was established 33 years ago, in 1987.
That's when the Basic Organization of the Czech Union of Nature Protectors together with the Civic Affairs Corps in Chudenice decided to cut down the dying cherry tree alley and replace it with a new planting. (There is also talk among eyewitnesses that some apple trees were said to have been grafted with sakura trees). First, according to the local chronicle, the old cherry trees had to be cut down and pits dug in the rocky subsoil, which was said to be very tiring and laborious work. After plowing the soil, the parents, who had children born that year, planted two sakura trees each. In 1987, 20 saplings were planted, and in 1988, 40 sakura trees.
In 1988, the Alley of Youth thus had a total of 60 new trees, each of which has its own name. Betting was to continue every year. It could have been a nice tradition, but already in 1989, the municipal chronicle writes about the lack of interest in further planting trees in this alley. Nevertheless, we have a unique attraction here that cannot be seen anywhere in the immediate vicinity. According to some references, sakura is the plant with the longest breeding pedigree. It is estimated that sakura was cultivated and bred in Japan before the Heian period (794-1185 BC). However, paradoxically, it reached Europe from China, where it spread from the Land of the Rising Sun. Sakura has been growing in popularity here lately. This is because it is a lower tree that has a V-shaped crown. It belongs to the excellent flowering trees, the flowers appear from April to May. They look stunning as a solitaire, but the real beauty comes when they are made into a row of trees or an avenue exactly like here in Chudenice.
Source: town of Chudenice
