One of the symbols of spring in the region for me, is when the Dogwoods bloom. In the forest, tiny white spots appear between the trees. The Dogwoods aren't big, thin even. During the summer month they are discreet, hidden by the bigger trees. But during spring, as the rest of the forest is still brown, they catch your eyes.
Every time I look at then, I seem to see a tree covered in butterflies. Their fragile wings similar to the delicate petals.
While in the forest I've only seen white ones, in the neighborhood we also have pink ones, including a beautiful one up the street. I never get tired of it. In fact I've already told Hubby, our dream house will have a dogwood in the yard.
For the story, there is a legend here that says the Dogwood was used to make the cross on which Jesus was crucified. The tree was sad and Jesus made the promise that it would never happen again, hence the thin tree found nowadays. The flowers shapes like a cross are also supposed to be a reminder of the crucifixion. There is no bible origin to this, the legend is inspired by a poem. Of course the fact that it blooms around Easter doesn't hurt.