What's Blooming Now at Rotary Botanical Gardens – May 5, 2026

May 5
2 min read

Spring is moving fast right now, and the gardens are putting on a show that won't wait. If you've been thinking about visiting, this is the week to do it.

The Alpine Garden Is at Its Peak

Stop what you're doing and get to the Alpine Garden. Right now. This space only gets one brief window each year where everything comes together at once, and we are in it.

The pasqueflowers that kicked things off a few weeks ago have been joined by every color in their range. Daphne is blooming, Shooting Star is up, and two colors of Dwarf Crested Iris are open side by side. There are primroses and small pops of color tucked into every corner. Overhead, a Golden Norway Maple is putting out its brilliant seasonal foliage. The Alpine Garden is at its height right now and won't look like this for long.

Here and Gone: The Fleeting Side of Spring

This week has been a good reminder of how quickly some spring bloomers come and go. Wild Tulips appeared, dazzled briefly, and are nearly finished. A peony in the Japanese Garden was in full bloom for only four or five days before dropping its petals. That's just how it goes with some of these early-season plants.

The good news: there are plenty of peony buds still waiting in the wings across the gardens. More are coming.

Peak Bloom Across the Gardens

The What's Blooming Now at Rotary Botanical Gardens list is full this week. At peak bloom right now: Pasqueflower (Alpine Garden), Bleeding Hearts (all woodland areas), Brunnera (all woodland areas), Crabapple (everywhere), Dwarf Crested Iris (Alpine Garden), Tiarella/Foam Flower (Gazebo Garden), Bearded Iris, and Wood Violet throughout the woodland areas.

Crabapple trees are one of the highlights of the week. The white-flowered and deep pink-flowered varieties are both open simultaneously, and the contrast against the spring sky is hard to beat.

Coming Soon

Several plants are getting close but not quite there yet. Camassia Quamash in the Sunken Garden, Peony in the Japanese Garden, Jacob's Ladder, Witch Alder in the Kaleidoscope Garden, Allium throughout the gardens, and Woodland Phlox in the Gazebo and Shade Gardens are all on their way. We're saving those for future reports when they hit their stride.

The Muscari (Grape Hyacinth) and Hellebore are wrapping up their season and taking their last bows.

This Week, Let the Photos Do the Talking

Some weeks, the gardens speak for themselves. This is one of those weeks. Grab a hat and come see it in person.