Hellebores and spring bulbs
By March a collection of over 100 Hellebore plants in 30+ varieties begin the show with their early Spring bloom. In a woodland shade garden the Hellebore is outstanding - its evergreen foliage persists through winter providing interest and structure, with long-lasting flowers emerging before the earliest native Spring ephemerals. This tour provides an up-close look at the exquisite blooms. As an added bonus we’ll pass through a field of early spring bulbs, a garden inspired by the March Bank at the renowned Winterthur gardens.
Early spring ephemerals
By mid-April the native Spring ephemerals are exploding from the ground, adding untold thousands of delicate blooms from Spring Beauty, Toothwort, Bloodroot, Bleeding Heart, Squirrel Corn, Dutchman’s Breeches, Virginia Bluebells, Trilliums, Celandine, Mayapple and more. Throughout the tour we’ll also see many Hellebores boasting their enduring blooms, along with hints of emerging fern fronds and perennials.
Azaleas and rhododendrons
Mid-April through mid-May brings a weeks-long succession of blooms from Azaleas and Rhododendrons even as the woodland garden canopy begins to leaf-out. The native gardens are glorious with ephemerals and perennials turning the forest floor bright green.
Ferns and Flowers
From late May through June ferns begin to dominate the forest floor, including Maidenhair, Royal, Christmas, Ostrich, Broad Beech, Sensitive, Cinnamon, New York, and more. Summer perennials are strutting their foliage before the show, with some early bloomers in flower including natives Indian Pink, Copper Iris, Goatsbeard and more, plus Peonies and Astilbes.
Summer Blooms
Early Summer brings the part-sun gardens to bloom with Echinaceas, Coreopsis, Monarda, Silene, Achillea, Lobelia and more. The woodland gardens are flush with shapes, textures, and shades of green, highlighted with white blooms of Black Cohosh and Hydrangeas. Lucky guests may even see the sort-lived Ghost Pipe plant!