People often ask, “When should I visit?”
Every season has its charm, but mid-April and mid-August show spikes in the number of species of plants blooming here at the Gardens. Keep in mind, though, that bloom times do fluctuate with weather conditions.
Generally, we see peak wildflower blooms in our Gardens from April through May. During this time, the you will see our slopes covered with thousands of flowers such as Trilliums (Trillium sp.), Spring-beauties (Claytonia sp.), Crested Dwarf Iris (Iris cristata), Green and Gold (Chrysogonum australe), Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum) and Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia). (Our spring flush of Trilliums is – honestly – pretty hard to beat.)
From mid-summer through early fall, the Gardens enjoys a second bloom peak, generally restricted to the sunnier parts of the Gardens. This time, the show involves many members of the Aster family such as Joe-pye Weed (Eupatorium fistulosum), Blazing-star (Liatris sp.), Green-headed Coneflower (Rudbeckia lacinata) and Goldenrod (Solidago sp.). If one looks hard enough, one may find something in bloom nearly year-round. Many visitors are surprised to find Witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) flowering in the middle of fall color or Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) flowering in winter, sometimes through a light blanket of snow.
