Climbing Season Has Arrived at Rotary Botanical Gardens

Summer is in almost here, and the gardens are putting on a vertical show. Climbing season has Arrived at Rotary Botanical Gardens, and if you know where to look, you will find vines winding their way up walls, corners, gates, arches, trellises, obelisks, and even the occasional tree.

This week's stars include Lonicera (honeysuckle), Clematis, Wisteria, Japanese Climbing Hydrangea, and Climbing Roses. Their blooms span the full color spectrum: purple, pink, red, yellow, and orange. Some of these climbers are brief visitors, but the Lonicera and Clematis should hold on for several weeks throughout the summer. And just when those begin to fade, Sweet Autumn Clematis steps in for one last splash of color before fall sets in.

While you're wandering, keep an eye out for something a little more low-key: spiderwort (tradescantia). The gardens are home to seven varieties, from the familiar deep purple to softer shades of pink, light purple, and white. The rarer colors don't dominate the landscape, but they do peek out here and there. It's a fun scavenger hunt if you're up for it.

The Tropical Garden on the Terrace is also coming to life. Banana Trees are making their seasonal return alongside Oleander and Tropical Hibiscus. The Banana Trees are overwintered in the greenhouse each year to ensure they're ready for the warm season, and they never fail to draw a crowd. You'll find them throughout the gardens, but the Terrace is where the full tropical atmosphere really comes together.

Stop in this week to catch the climbers at their peak, explore the Terrace garden, and see how many spiderwort varieties you can spot.

Thank you so much to Melissa Lauer and her team of volunteers for making this report come to life!