Taiwanese Cherry Blossom

Prunus campanulata is a species of cherry native to Taiwan, widely grown as an ornamental tree, and a symbol of Nago, Okinawa in the Ryukyu Islands of Japan. It is variously known in English as the Taiwan cherry,^[3] Formosan cherry, or bellflower cherry.

I used to mistake this for the Sakura cherry tree. They lined on both sides of Balmoral road where I used to live before Andrew was born, and later when we came back to live after 16 years in Singapore.

In 1989, the word Campomelic came to my vocabulary. It was the syndrome that Andrew had and killed him. Campanulata makes me think of that word. The Campanulata cherry  blooms ahead of the Sakura, then very quickly the flowers drop and fade away. 

This is the time when the Campanulata cherry  blooms are most pretty. At the time, at Andrew's birthday,  Balmoral road would be one scarlet hue. Then on his death anniversary in November, the trees would be bare. Empty like my arms.

Next month would be Andrew's birthday, This TVNZ documentary was made for 

 Baby Loss Awareness Week. I remember the interview I 

did  for the Television documentary," It is ok to cry." Here I am, telling myself it is 

OK to cry.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZk9w-uywAs&feature=youtu.be