This year the cherry blossoms in Washington D.C. hit their peak bloom on April 11, and they were a sight to behold.
The cherry blossoms were a gift from Japan to the United States in 1912 as a show of the growing friendship between the two countries. Originally there were only two trees planted (which are still standing). Now the Tidal Basin has about 3,750 trees comprised of 16 different varieties. Here are the beautiful shots from this year's National Cherry Blossom Festival.