To understand why Japanese treasure cherry blossoms above all other flowers and trees, you have to understand the Japanese preoccupation with the Buddhist idea of transience.

Traditional Japanese philosophy is all about the idea of transience. This sentiment is best captured in the opening naga'uta to the Tale of Heike, the seminal work of classical Japanese literature:

祇園精舎の鐘の聲、諸行無常の響あり。沙羅雙樹の花の色、盛者必衰の理をあらはす。驕れる人も久しからず、唯春の夜の夢の如し。猛き者もつひには滅びぬ、偏に風の前の塵に同じ

Translation:
The sound of the Gion Shoja bells echoes the impermanence of all things, the color of the sala flowers reveals the truth that the prosperous must decline. The proud do not endure, they are like a dream on a spring night, the mighty fall at last, they are as dust before the wind.

Traditional Japanese culture is obsessive about this idea that beauty is highlighted by transience, that flowers are made more beautiful by the knowledge that they will wilt so quickly.

Quindi quale fiore straordinariamente bello ma tragicamente effimero viene in mente?

I fiori di ciliegio fioriscono solo per circa 2 settimane all'anno. Quando questo accade varia di anno in anno, ma appena i fiori sono in piena fioritura, cominciano ad appassire e a morire. Ma ogni anno ritornano, rinascono.

Non è difficile capire perché i giapponesi siano così attratti dai fiori di ciliegio.

E questo va ben oltre la letteratura e l'apprezzamento dei fiori. Vi siete mai chiesti perché i templi in Giappone sono sempre costruiti in legno, eppure, nonostante abbiano più di mille anni, sembrano ancora abbastanza nuovi? È perché sono stati costruiti per invecchiare, appassire, morire e rinascere ogni pochi decenni. Vedrete spesso questi antichi templi di legno in fase di ricostruzione dalle fondamenta.

There are small orchards all over the state. Two areas that immediately come to mind are the Driftless Area in southwestern Wisconsin and Bayfield on Lake Superior.

I live very close to Bayfield. I have one friend who runs a berry farm and a few other friends who maintain small orchards. They are all over the place up here.

I would recommend Hauser’s Superior View Farm in Bayfield. There is a large hill next to Lake Superior that is largely orchards. It’s warmer at the top of the hill which makes for better fruit growing conditions. I’m pretty sure they do cherries too.

This is a link to orchards and pick your own farms in Wisconsin.

Apple Orchards and Pick Your Own Fruit and Vegetables

The view towards the lake from Hausers.