After a few weeks on a plant expedition to China, it was my pleasure to stroll the grounds of the Holden Arboretum and Cleveland Botanical Garden to see what was in bloom.  At the arboretum, I was on the lookout for our native magnolias, but they aren’t quite ready yet. But I did find several other trees worthy of your attention.  At the garden, the roses are still impressing, along with a many other bloomers.  Here are my picks for this weekend. 

Holden Arboretum 

The tulip tree, tulip-poplar, or yellow-poplar, Liriodendron tulipifera, of the magnolia family, is at peak bloom.  You’ll have to look up, but the two trees that flank each side of the path from the picnic shelter area down to the wildflower garden are absolutely covered with the yellow and orange blooms that give this tree its common name. 

It is as if someone placed tulips all over the tree.  The theme of orange continued, as I spotted a striking wild-collected flame azalea (Rhododendron calendulaceum), native to the hills of Ross County and adjacent environs of south-central Ohio.

Finally, I found a third orange bloomer, the Ohio-endangered western wallflower (Erysimum capitatum), rising from one of the rockeries. Senior horticulturist Dawn Gerlica provided a beautiful closeup photo of the four-petaled blooms of this native biennial mustard.  

Cleveland Botanical Garden 

At the botanical garden, our kousa dogwoods (Cornus kousa), a native of China that I observed blooming in the wild on my recent botanical expedition, are at absolute peak.  Look for several nice specimens along the fence that runs parallel to Wade Oval.

Inside the Western Reserve Herb Society Garden, the collection of historical roses are absolutely at peak bloom.  My favorite photo of many from my walk through was of the ancient apothecary’s rose, Rosa gallica ‘Officinalis’, a semi-double rose descended from the species that was one of the first cultivated roses in Central Europe.  It has been in cultivation since the twelfth century! 

Finally, after I visited the Japanese garden, upon my exit towards the woodland garden, I looked up and to the right to check on our mountain laurel, Kalmia latifolia.  Sure enough, it was in peak bloom. This Ohio native grows in cool, forested sandstone coves around the Hocking Hills area.  

After being away from the gardens for a few weeks, it was exciting to get back and explore.  The forest canopy has closed and summer wildflowers will be joining us soon.  Enjoy the blooms!