Well, so much for my pessimism. Despite northerly and southerly gales, these cherry blossoms held on tight. I underestimated their tenacity! When the sun was bright and I made a brief visit to the Wellington Botanic Garden rose garden - lo and behold - there it was, the graceful form of Prunus "Awanui", not denuded by the winds as I had imagined. Perhaps this was a more sheltered spot than I thought?
But no - en masse a pretty froth of pink but on individual blooms the impact of the wind is indicated by the bruised and ragged petals. So - being soft pink and delicate in appearance does not mean weak or insipid. And my assumptions again turn out to be mistaken. Fittingly, the sculpture beside the blossom trees is titled "Dance of Life".