Question
Hi. I have a flowering cherry tree in my garden. Last year it gave a wonderful display of blossom but during the summer most of the leaves turned  brittle and brown and dropped early. This year there is hardly a blossom to be seen. I do not know the age of the tree but the diameter of the base is about 9 inches. Is it time that it should be cut down

Answer
First check and see if the tree is still alive--start near the end of an upper outer branch and scrap a small bit of bark off the branch and if the color under the bark is green the branch is still alive. If the color under the bark is brown the branch is dead at this point on the branch--if brown continue down the branch scraping at intervals until you fine green or reach the main trunk. Try other branches if you do not find green. IF none is found the tree is dead.
IF you find green you can prune the dead part off and the tree should leaf out this spring.  IF no green is found I would remove the tree. Sorry but this maybe the case.