It’s Poppin’: March 27

March 27, 2025

While it’s been cold, things are still poppin’ at the Holden Arboretum and the Cleveland Botanical Garden. Things have slowed down this week after very warm temperatures last week. That’s good for the blooms, as the plants show the best displays with a long spring season. Here are the things that caught my eye this week.

Holden Arboretum

At the Arboretum, our Cornelian cherries, a dogwood, continue to impress. Look closely at the small yellow flowers of Cornus mas Saffron Sentinel in the picnic area. They are quite different from our native flowering dogwood.

In the beds that welcome you after parking, the Iris ‘Harmony’ and Narcissus ‘Little Gem’ make a stunning, not-to-be missed early season showstopper.

Arb Iris ‘Harmony’ and Narcissus ‘Little Gem’

Forsythia ‘Northern Gold’, a hallmark of spring, has opened in the display garden, while the Merrill Magnolia up against the Corning Visitor Center will be bursting when temperatures above 60 degrees return.

Cleveland Botanical Garden

At the Garden, I found a secret little nook that features two members of the witch-hazel family. Look for the tiny but brilliant crimson flowers of Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Ruby Glow’ on your way to see the soft yellow flowered Corylopsis pauciflora. If you’re a fan of the heathers, I found a patch of Erica carnea peaking in the Western Reserve Herb Society Garden. Next up will be daffodils, some of which are blooming, but next week will be better.

Enjoy our gardens! Visit early and often to make sure you don’t miss your favorite blooms.

Tom Arbour, M.En.

Curator of Living Collections

As Curator of Living Collections at Holden Forests and Gardens, Tom guides the acquisition and documentation of more than 20,000 plants and trees at Cleveland Botanical Garden and The Holden Arboretum. Significant arboretum collections include oak, crabapple, maple, conifers, and Ohio wildflowers. At the Cleveland Botanical Garden, two biome-based glasshouses contain plants of the Madagascar spiny forest and a rich neotropical rainforest community. Tom is particularly interested in connecting with those wanting to use Holden’s living collections for research. Please contact Tom to learn more about the broad collection of trees and plants at our two campuses.

Learn more about me

Here’s more to explore

View all

People for Trees™

Make a difference in
your own backyard.

Plant and care for a tree beginning with making a pledge. We will support each pledge with easy-to-follow instructional toolkits, guidance on how to select the most appropriate tree and where to purchase it, free virtual classes and other ongoing support.

Make a pledge