Flowering Trees

One of the wonderful things about Maadi, the district of Cairo where we live, is that it is so green. It was laid out by the British and the French about eighty years ago, and one of the planning rules that they used was that you could only build on 25% of each plot, which meant that 75% of each plot was set aside for gardens. Sadly most of those villas and gardens are long gone, replaced by streets lined with appartment buildings. However, the trees remain. It is so amazing to watch the different species of exotic trees come in to bloom through the spring and early summer.

Most of these pictures were taken by my decidedly lo-res cameraphone, but at least they'll give you an impression.

First, in late February, come the Dogwoods (Camel Foot Trees)Then these frondy pink ones
Then these ones with pink puff balls of flowers
Then in late March we get these nice yellow ones
Then, through April, one whose name I know. Jacaranda. There are two outside our bedroom window and they are amazing clouds of lilac that you glimpse all through Maadi.
Then May is the month for the flame trees. We have a really old majestic one in our garden outside the other bedroom window; intense colour!

Finally, in June these beautiful pink garlands emerge. Absolutely stunning.