What's in Bloom: Surprise Lilies, Hibiscus, and a Koi Pond in Full Swing

Take a walk through the gardens this week and you'll find a lot to love. Here's what's in bloom right now.

Surprise Lily

The Surprise Lily (Lycoris squamigera) has arrived. The first blooms are just popping now, with more on the way in the coming days. Don't blink, because they won't stick around long, lasting less than three weeks.

Surprise Lily is a perennial bulb in the amaryllis family. It produces a fragrant, pink, lily-like flower on a leafless stalk that reaches 3 to 4 feet tall. True to its name, it seems to pop up out of nowhere, then disappears just as quickly. Each head holds 4 to 12 blooms, and the bulbs grow in clusters, making for quite a sight when they're in full swing.

Hibiscus and Rose-of-Sharon

Hibiscus and Rose-of-Sharon are starting to appear throughout the gardens. We have almost 100 plants across more than 20 cultivars, in pink, white, yellow, orange, dark red, and combinations of all of the above. Some blooms are small and elegant, while others open to dinner-plate size. Each individual bloom lasts only a short time, but the plants keep reblooming steadily throughout the season.

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The Koi Pond

The Koi Pond is at its prime right now, and the Water Lily and Sacred Lotus are spectacular. If you only have time for one stop in the gardens this week, make it here. You won't be disappointed.

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Come see all three for yourself. Blooms like these don't wait around.

What's In Bloom Report Shout Out:

Thank you to Melissa Lauer and her Bloom Report Volunteers for all the work they put into tracking our gardens each week. Melissa takes time to put together the data and photos and sends them to me each week so you can have the most up to date information when you visit. We couldn't do this without them.