Visit the Garden as spring awakens sleeping beauties like narcissus, crocus, cherry trees, iris and magnolias. Early spring at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is filled with the wonder and anticipation of March blooms. Find bright pink cyclamen hidden in shady wooded areas. Watch in awe as snow-like cherry blossoms rain down with the slightest breeze. Take a romantic stroll with your sweetheart on an early spring day along the Cherry Tree Walk around Sydnor Lake. As March unfurls so do countless buds, building anticipation for the start of A Million Blooms on at the end of March.

Use our March Garden Explorer tour from your desktop or smartphone to plan your visit around these blooms! Check back for a link to this month’s Bright Spots (PDF) highlighting current blooms and interest.

Narcissus ‘Sweet Orange’ in Flagler Garden has a white flowers and a bright orange cup. According to the American Daffodil Society there are between 40 and 200 different species, subspecies or varieties of species — and over 25,000 registered cultivars (named hybrids).  Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden has over 400 different cultivars!

Narcissus ‘Jetfire’ is a miniature daffodil with swept-back petals and a bright orange cup. As one of our early bloomers thats planted prolifically, you won’t want to miss walking across the decking from the West Island Garden to be surrounded by the contrast of crepe myrtles and ‘Jetfire’ on both sides of the walkway. You’ll also find this sweet bloom in the Bragdon Memorial Garden in the Central Garden. 

Crocus chrysanthus ‘Blue Bird’  will greet you singing with its brilliant color in the Central Garden, just after you enter the Garden.

Crocus vernus ‘Pickwick’  is a striped silver-lavender and purple bloom with a bright orange center. The blooms are larger than most croci and make a bigger visual impact. You’ll find it on at the north end of Sydnor Lake in Margaret Streb Conifer Garden. Like daffodils, these beauties come back year after year. 

Camellia japonica ‘Betty Sette’ features blooms with rose-like forms as they open.  The contrast of the dark green glossy leaves with the bright pink blooms makes for a big first impression. You’ll find this beauty in the Asian Valley.

 You’ll find Prunus × incam ‘Okamé’  in the Central Garden, the Asian Valley and of course along the Cherry Tree Walk.

Camellia japonica ‘Crimson Candles’ is one of our most prolific blooming camellias. When you find it, look up! You’ll be surprised at how many blooms this shrub has. Who knows, it may even remind you of a candelabra filled with brightly lit red wax candles.  You’ll find it in the Asian Valley on the left-hand side as you descend the hill.

Erica carnea ‘Springwood Pink’ provides another splash of color with its small, pink, bell-shaped blooms. You’ll spot it in Asian Valley.  It’s closely related to Scotch Heather. 

In March, we’re ready for spring, and Leucojum aestivum or giant snowflake is the only kind of snow we hope to see! You’ll find these white and green blooms in several spots in Flagler Garden and in the Asian Valley.

Crocus vernus ‘Flower Record’ is an early-blooming corm with giant flowers — nearly 2 inches across. Like many croci, these flowers open in the morning, close at night, and stay closed on cloudy and rainy days. You’ll find it along the Main Garden Walk.

Sanguinaria canadensis or bloodroot blooms in March before the trees leaf out. It has a pretty unusual name for a plant, so gotten because of the rust-red sap that oozes from the plant when cut. Native Americans used the sap as a dye, but caution, the sap will burn your hands and is poisonous if eaten.  You will find this beauty in Flagler Garden.