The Atlanta Botanical Garden is having its annual Spring Blooms event. At the end of winter, gardeners plant spring bulbs around the property, and, over the course of the spring, thousands of flowers appear. 

The primary focus is on tulips, and this year, 200,000 tulip bulbs were planted. Tulips come in a wide range of colors, shapes and sizes, and there are many varieties growing in the garden right now. Colors range from whites and yellows to pinks and reds to deep purples. Some flowers are a single solid color, and some are striped. Some tulips have just a few petals, and some have a cluster of two or three dozen. Some petals have smooth edges, and some are frilly.

The garden staff does a great job of creating a variety of color palettes throughout the garden. Tulips are mixed with daffodils, hyacinths, jonquils and other flowers to provide a multi-colored tapestry with a variety of heights, shapes, and textures. Overall, the Spring Blooms event is always impressive.

Another springtime garden event is Orchid Daze. The garden has a premier orchid collection as well as programs focused on orchid research and conservation around the world. While the Orchid Daze lasts for a few weeks in the spring and features some special events like Vanilla Sunday (natural vanilla comes from the cured seed pod of the Vanilla planifolia orchid plant), the Orchid Display House is open year-round and focuses on orchids that grow in tropical regions from sea level to 4,000 feet elevation. 

Just like tulips, orchids come in all kinds of shapes, colors, and sizes. Some grow harmlessly on other plants, some grow on rocks, and some grow in soil. It’s always fun to wander through the orchid house and take in the variety of plants.

Stay tuned for another post later this year where I’ll dive into more about the features of the Atlanta Botanical Garden.