Plants &
Gardening
Garden Stories
Meet Some of Spring鈥檚 Superstars
Even when the 91短视频 was buried in snow, our horticulturists would look for signs of spring and trade tips鈥攄id you see that winter aconite blooming underneath the crabapples? Spirits are high as early blooms emerge, well ahead of the first day of spring.
鈥 As senior director of horticulture, it鈥檚 hard for me to single out the season鈥檚 highlights; there will be a ton. But even after spending more than 30 springs at the Garden, I still love to see what comes up every day. Here are just a few of my favorite sights:鈥
Azalea mounds at the Malott Japanese Garden
The azaleas are very well-trained into undulating mounds so they always look good. But they are incredibly dramatic starting in April, when they鈥檙e blooming en masse on a slope that provides different perspectives.
Redbuds at the Regenstein Learning Campus
We planted a large number of redbud trees to create a dramatic flowering display in early spring. The landscape architect for the Learning Campus, which opened in 2016, did a great job with the scale and placement of the plantings. Each year, the display is more impressive, as the trees grow and produce more flowers.
Drifts of roses at the Krasberg Rose Garden
The first big flush of flowers is typically around the middle of June. Note the simple shape and deep fragrance of heirloom roses, and the lovely colors of the hybrid tea roses; the large drifts of roses are always a visitor favorite.
Crocuses in the lawn at Evening Island
Sunny yellow and plum purple crocuses brighten the lawn at Evening Island, starting in early spring. It鈥檚 an indelible sight to see tens of thousands of crocuses in flower at the same time. Note that the blooms are very weather dependent, and there鈥檚 a short window for the peak display.
Iris reticulata at the Sensory Garden
You鈥檒l see an explosion of early spring color here鈥攙iolet-blue irises with yellow markings. But the blooms tend to be short-lived and fade quickly in warm weather. So catching them in full flower is a real treat.
Crabapples at the Lakeside Gardens
Don鈥檛 miss a walk through a cathedral of hundreds of fragrant flowering crabapples, starting in May. We planted these with a large-scale design in mind to create an impact in spring.
The changing season in the Graham Bulb Garden
To get the most out of spring, drop by throughout the season. Regular walks through the Graham Bulb Garden, for instance, will reward you with a continuous display of different types of blooms as the bulbs come into flower. The scale is like that of a home garden and full of ideas for you to replicate at home.
Visit the Garden this spring.
Please note that all visitors鈥攊ncluding Garden members鈥攎ust preregister.
Other Tips
Watch our social media channels and website for updates on what鈥檚 in bloom.
The Garden stays open until 7 p.m., starting April 1. The longer days give you more time for a mini-spring break: Download a spring walk map; pick up a free seedling or seed to plant at home, starting May 12; and grab a bite to eat at the Garden View Caf茅. Limited, socially distanced seating is available inside the Caf茅 and outside on the decks. Try the house-made frittata for breakfast or the salmon salad for lunch.