What’s in Bloom – Spring

There are a lot of debates about the best season in Michigan, but certainly a favorite season would have to be spring. Sometimes as early as February you’ll find skunk cabbage blooming in the wetlands. For fans of flowers, spring offers weeks of blooms, from dainty spring petals carpeting the woodlands to bulbs, flowering fruit trees, lilacs, peonies, and many more.

Spring-blooming woody shrubs in Nichols Arboretum

Spring-blooming woody shrubs in Nichols Arboretum. (Photo by Michele Yanga.)

Allium in the perennial garden at Matthaei

Allium in the perennial garden at Matthaei. (Photo by Michele Yanga.)

Azaleas blooming on Laurel Ridge near the peony garden in Nichols Arboretum

Azaleas blooming on Laurel Ridge near the peony garden in Nichols Arboretum. (Photo by Michele Yanga.)

Azaleas blooming on Laurel Ridge near the peony garden in Nichols Arboretum

Azaleas blooming on Laurel Ridge near the peony garden in Nichols Arboretum. (Photo by Michele Yanga.)

Bartzella peony blooming outside the conservatory at Matthaei Botanical Gardens

Bartzella peony blooming outside the conservatory at Matthaei Botanical Gardens. (Photo by Michele Yanga.)

Bloodroot, a native spring wildflower, getting ready to open in Nichols Arboretum

Bloodroot, a native spring wildflower, getting ready to open in Nichols Arboretum. (Photo by Michele Yanga.)

Tree in Nichols Arboretum

(Photo by Michele Yanga.)

Dogwood on Laurel Ridge near the peony garden in Nichols Arboretum

Dogwood on Laurel Ridge near the peony garden in Nichols Arboretum. (Photo by Michele Yanga.)

Epimedium in the Arb

Epimedium in the Arb. (Photo by Michele Yanga.)

Hellebore in the Arboretum

Hellebore in the Arb. (Photo by Michele Yanga.)

Iris near the perennial garden at Matthaei

Iris near the perennial garden at Matthaei. (Photo by Michele Yanga.)

Magnolia blooming in Magnolia Glen in Nichols Arboretum

Magnolia blooming in Magnolia Glen in Nichols Arboretum. (Photo by Michele Yanga.)

The Marie Azary Rock Garden at Matthaei

The Marie Azary Rock Garden at Matthaei comes to life each spring. (Photo by Michele Yanga.)

The Marie Azary Rock Garden at Matthaei

The Marie Azary Rock Garden at Matthaei comes to life each spring. (Photo by Michele Yanga.)

Mountain laurel in the Heathdale area of Nichols Arbboretum

Mountain laurel in the Heathdale area of Nichols Arbboretum. (Photo by Michele Yanga.)

Native columbine at Matthaei Botanical Gardens

Native columbine at Matthaei Botanical Gardens. (Photo by Michele Yanga.)

The Nichols Arboretum Peony Garden

The Nichols Arboretum Peony Garden, the largest collection of heirloom herbaceous peonies in North America. (Photo by Michele Yanga.)

A redbud in the Arb.

A redbud in the Arb. (Photo by Michele Yanga.)

Herbaceous peonies just starting to sprout in April at the Arb.

Herbaceous peonies just starting to sprout in April at the Arb. (Photo by Michele Yanga.)

Tree peonies budding in the Nichols Arboretum Peony Gardens.

Tree peonies budding in the Nichols Arboretum Peony Gardens. (Photo by Michele Yanga.)

Tree peonies in bloom, often several weeks before herbaceous peonies. In Nichols Arboretum.

Tree peonies in bloom, often several weeks before herbaceous peonies. In Nichols Arboretum. (Photo by Michele Yanga.)

Virginiana bluebells in Nichols Arboretum

Virginiana bluebells in Nichols Arboretum. (Photo by Michele Yanga.)

A weeping cherry near Dow Field in Nichols Arboretum.

A weeping cherry near Dow Field in Nichols Arboretum. This cherry is a rare survisior from a group of weeping cherries given to the University of Michigan by U-M alumni living in Tokyo as well as the citizens of Tokyo, after World War II

Spring-blooming woody shrubs in Nichols Arboretum.

Spring-blooming woody shrubs in Nichols Arboretum. (Photo by Michele Yanga.)