By Mary Beth Pottratz
Intense shades of gold, garnet, plum, pink and more blanket the tulip beds in wide swaths. People stroll through, pausing to admire and take photos. A Hmong family in traditional dress poses proudly among the tulips along with other visitors enjoying the last hurrah of the gorgeous blooms. The tulip display will soon be removed to make way for the summer display of colorful annuals in the Annual Garden.
The 2024 tulip display in the Annual Garden. Photo by Sarah Jackson
The tulips remind me of the beautiful Keukenhof garden in the Netherlands, which celebrated its 75th anniversary this year. Bloom time is ahead of Minnesota’s, so next year’s season will run from March 20 to May 11, 2025 at Keukenhof.
The day is outstanding: Light breezes, a high of 75 degrees, partly sunny and the air quality is fair after a smoky week.
I smell them before I see them: Wall-sized hedges of lavender and white lilacs scent the air. But on to the woodland I hurry. The trees have now leafed out, so the spring ephemeral wildflowers we wrote about last month should have given way to entirely new species. And I am richly rewarded!
A hedge of lilacs in shades of lavender and white welcomes visitors to the Arboretum.
Wild geranium blooms in clumps in the forest shade. Its pinkish-to-lavender petals are the largest of Minnesota’s native geraniums. Mixed in with the wild geraniums are clusters of lilac-hued Virginia waterleaf florets. Bumblebees buzz throughout them.
Wild geranium grows in clumps in the dappled shade of the forest.
Lavender-colored phlox share their spicy scent if you lean in close.
A tiny white violet peeks out from beneath a profusion of leaves and several large-flowered trilliums can still be found.
The small white flowers of a violet and large-flowered trillium peek through the foliage.
Smooth Solomon’s seal has tiny florets dangling from the axils beneath its leaves. This underside view also highlights the graceful veining in its leaves. Starry false Solomon’s seal has its blossoms at the stem tip. Its six white petals each have a pale yellow stamen. False Solomon’s seal buds are deep yellow and blossom to a creamy white.
Smooth Solomon’s seal, starry false Solomon’s seal and false Solomon’s seal
Mayapples also flower beneath their large, umbrella-like leaves. And the birds! They are singing and calling from all corners of the forest. Red-eyed vireo, indigo bunting, common yellowthroat, yellow warbler, cowbird, catbird, peewee, flycatchers and more.
A single small yellow lady’s slipper shows off its yellow “slipper” beneath three spiraling petals. Jack-in-the-pulpits are pushing up their spathes — or pulpits — but they are still hidden by three leaves. Arboretum visitors Bill and Cheryl stopped to chat about their interests in the Arboretum’s Plant Conservation Program.
Small yellow lady’s slipper orchids captivate visitors in the Arboretum’s Wildflower Garden.
Wildflowers and tulips aren’t the only attractions today. The Arboretum’s May Markets are underway at the Margot Picnic Shelters adjacent to Scarecrow Hill and will take place again on May 25 and 26. Crafts and artisan goods will be available from up to 65 talented vendors. As if you didn’t have enough to do at the Arb…!
Mary Beth Pottratz is a Minnesota Master Naturalist Volunteer. Learn more about the program at www.minnesotamasternaturalist.org or the West Metro Chapter at westmetromasternaturalists.weebly.com.