A Golden Glow Across the Gardens: What’s Blooming Now at Rotary Botanical Gardens

As autumn settles into Janesville, Rotary Botanical Gardens is transforming into a canvas of golds, purples, and soft greens. This week, the Gardens are alive with late-season color and the first hints of fall foliage, making it a perfect time to enjoy the changing season.

Peak Blooms and Late-Season Stars

Many of our signature fall flowers are still putting on quite a show. You’ll find Dahlias in full bloom in the Cutting and Daylily Gardens, while Monkshood adds a striking pop of violet-blue in both the Shade and English Cottage Gardens. The Red Hot Pokers continue to glow with fiery brilliance, joined by Angel Trumpets and Japanese Anemones, both of which are blooming beautifully throughout the Gardens.

The Blue Mink in the Reception Garden and Bluebeard in the English Cottage Garden offer rich, saturated color that pairs perfectly with the golden hues appearing across the landscape. Beautyberry is also a must-see this week, its vibrant purple berries standing out along the Meadow Garden and Cherry Blossom Walk.

Fall Color on the Horizon

As Melissa notes, “We’ve turned a corner this weekend, there’s enough fall color to start talking about it.” The Dwarf Sumac, now included on this week’s Blooming Now list, is a highlight with its fiery leaves ushering in the season. You’ll also notice a soft golden glow spreading across trees, shrubs, and perennials, hinting at the peak color still to come.

Still Hanging On

While the summer blooms begin to fade, a few favorites are offering their “last look.” Rose of Sharon, Hydrangea, Aster, Mums, Sedum, and Toad Lily continue to add texture and beauty throughout the Gardens. These late performers remind us that there’s always something to enjoy, even as the seasons shift.

Visit Before the Season Ends

Autumn is one of the most beautiful times to explore Rotary Botanical Gardens. The Gardens are open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and while the main season ends in November, there’s still plenty of color and inspiration to discover in the weeks ahead. Keep checking our blog and social media for weekly bloom updates, and plan your visit soon to catch the golden magic of fall!

We are grateful to Melissa Lauer for her dedicated efforts throughout the season in producing the What's Blooming Now report. Melissa photographs, catalogs plants across all gardens, maintains detailed reports and records, and ensures our atrium display is updated with the latest blooms. Her contributions are essential to our success.