Lindera benzoin (Spice Bush)

small clusters of yellow flowers line the stems of this early blooming eastern North American native shrub

Narcissus 'Jetfire' (Daffodil)

bright golden blooms on this narrow trumpeted daffodil that is one of the earlier-blooming varieties and also persists well in the landscape

Euphorbia polychroma 'Candy' (Cushion Spurge)

golden flowers on early blooming herbaceous perennial

Roads Water-Smart Garden (Garden Features)

The Water-Smart Garden is spectacular through the seasons. Enjoy the new path which provides more views of the plants in this garden. Many early blooming bulbs are planted throughout this garden alongside herbaceous perennials and shrubs.

Muscari armeniacum 'Blue Spike' (Grape Hyacinth)

blue-purple blooms on naturalizing bulb

Arctostaphylos ×

hanging clusters of small white and blush pink flowers on native evergreen shrub

Beehive (Garden Features)

Look up at the wall near the Conservatory to see the beehives. Can you see honeybees flying in and out?

Steppe Garden (Garden Features)

The Central Asian steppe is the native land for many of our most-loved spring-blooming bulbs. Visit the Steppe Garden and discover many species tulips, iris, fritillaria and other familiar plants that create early color in our gardens.

Helleborus purpurascens (Purple-Flowered Christmas Rose)

purple downward-facing flowers

Scilla luciliae (Glory-of-the-Snow )

an early blooming bulb that naturalizes well in shady conditions

Helleborus × hybridus 'Rose Quartz' Winter Jewels Series™ (Hybrid Lenten Rose)

a double-flowering variety of hellebore

Berberis repens (Creeping Oregon Grape)

native early-blooming shrub will have bright yellow flower clusters soon followed by purple fruit by late summer

Viburnum × bodnantense (Bodnant's Viburnum)

early blooming shrub with fragrant flowers

Prunus armeniaca (Apricot)

Apricot trees are one of the earliest blooming fruit trees in our region. Early blooms means that hard frost or snow leads to decreased chances of fruiting most years. The flowers are an early nectar source for honeybees.

Puschkinia scilloides var. libanotica (Striped Squill)

Early blooming bulb that naturalizes well in shady areas

Malus 'Louise' (Louise Crabapple)

pink flowering crabapple tree that tends to be the earliest blooming one in the Gardens due to its protected location by a wall

Magnolia stellata 'Royal Star' (Star Magnolia)

white flowers are fragrant on this shrubby magnolia

Forsythia viridissima var. koreana 'Kumson' (Greenstem Forsythia)

bright yellow flowers on Forsythia are one of the brightest signs of spring

Colorado (Garden Features)

Helleborus 'Midnight Ruffles' Winter Thriller™ (Lenten Rose)

dark purple early flowering hellebore can be seen blooming on the wall as you enter the Ellipse Garden

Rock Alpine Garden (Garden Features)

The Rock Alpine Garden has thousands of different plant varieties growing on about one acre. This areas bursts into color in late spring with plants from many steppe and alpine areas around the world. In the late summer and fall it transforms with brightly colored fruit, golden flowers of the aster family, and the brilliant blues only found in gentians.

Phlox bifida (Sand Phlox)

one of many early-blooming Phlox that you can see blooming in April

Pulsatilla halleri (Haller's Pasque Flower)

this pasqueflower's hairyness creates a backlit appearance, even when in shade

Laura Smith Porter Plains Garden (Garden Features)

The Plains Garden was burned on February 21st. Visit in the coming months and watch the plants emerge from the ash. Controlled burns are conducted approximately every 3 years and helps suppress weeds, remove the biomass of the many grass species, and provide nutrients to the deep rooted plants that were dormant when burned.