Japanese Cherry Initiative

For years, the Belmonte Arboretum had the largest collection of Japanese cherry (Prunus serrulata) in the Netherlands. These Japanese ornamental cherries were a beautiful public collection because of their blooms and characterised the long-established trade relationship between Japan and the Netherlands. Due to old age and fungal disease, however, many Japanese cherry trees have unfortunately been lost.

The Belmonte Foundation therefore wishes restore the collection to its former glory and show the wide range of Japanese cherry varieties once again. In the proposed plan, a new walking path lined with Japanese ornamental cherries will lead from the extraordinary viewpoint over the river Rhine and the Betuwe area to a space dedicated to Japanese cherries, showing the beauty of the Japanese cherry in all its splendid variety: white, pink, weeping and double flowered Japanese cherry trees. With this project we will be able to reinstall the Japanese cherries as a Dutch National Plant Collection and will serve as an inspiration to plant more ornamental cherry trees in other public spaces in the Netherlands.

We are happy to discuss your participation in this special initiative. For more information, to donate or to explore how else you can help this project become a reality, please contact:

Mr. Ir. D.(Dedde) Smid, Director Belmonte Arboretum Foundation
Tel: +31 (0)6-53249215
Email: d.smid@belmontearboretum.nl

If you prefer to donate directly by bank transfer, please see our bank details or donate online via creditcard or iDeal.