It is the goddess of childbirth that we have to thank for the many plum trees growing in the grounds of Umenomiya Taisha.
The word for 'giving birth' (umu 産む) and 'plum' (ume 梅) sound similar, and as ume are some of the first trees to bloom after the winter they have come to symbolise new life.
There’s a plum tree near my place called “Omoinomama” (「思いのまま」“As it wishes”) because it blooms randomly in two or three colors every year (white, pink and sometimes red).
It’s blooming right now 
It’s not very impressive, but I still love it 
the spring wind
still cold...
with such a scent of plum blossoms
I just cannot close
my windows’ paper sliders
はる風は
まだ寒けれど
梅香に
まどのさうじも
さされざりけり
-Ōtagaki Rengetsu (太田垣蓮月 1791-1875).
Old before Kyōto was born, Jōnan-gū stood conveniently to the capital's south west and was thus considered protection against this unlucky direction.
Emperor Kanmu probably established the shrine that we know, and even now people pray here for protection from unlucky directions.
SOUTH OF THE CAPITAL
Second only to Kitano Tenmangū as the go-to destination for plum blossoms, Jōnan-gū's "Spring Mountain" (春の山) reimagines a Heian-period style garden.
even the mean monks
come to eat rice cakes-
God of Jōnan
腹あしき僧も餅くへ城南神
-Yosa-no-Buson.
'Kokubaimochi' (黒梅餅 'black plum mochi'), sold for a short time by Oimatsu (老松) at Baika-sai (梅花祭), are named after a rare species of plum found at Kitano Tenman-gū.
THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR
Ume (梅の花)-
Flowers grow directly from the branch and have no stem.
are the sparrows too
having a private party?
plum blossoms
雀らも身祝するか梅の花
-Kobayashi Issa (小林一茶), 1804.
Trans. David G. Lanoue.
A note on 'ume' (梅)
Although we often translate 'ume' as 'plum blossoms' or the 'Japanese apricot' in English, the 'prunus mume' tree is actually related to both the apricot AND plum.
It is thus better to perhaps think of 'ume' on its own terms.
IN SEARCH OF BLOSSOMS
Plum blossoms (梅 'ume'/aka the 'Japanese apricot') herald springtime in Japan, arriving a few weeks before the first cherry blossoms
With a spattering of snow on the ground it feels too cold for blossoms, but on the trees you will see the buds ready to bloom.
思いつきで今日のお散歩にカメラを持っていったのは正解だった
My random whim to take my nice camera on my walk today served me well
(ENG ALT after JPN!)
x8