The landscape of The Morton Arboretum is green and lovely now that trees are fully opening their leaves. This year’s early spring is waning, but blooms are still to be seen, especially in the prairie areas and in the brightly planted flower beds in the central area near the Visitor Center, including The Grand Garden and the Ground Cover Garden, and the Thornhill Education Center, including Joy Path and the Fragrance Garden.
On the East Side
In the courtyard and gardens near the Visitor Center are white flowering Japanese kerria, yellow fragrant sumac, pale blue Lemon Drop blue star, pink wild geranium, yellow buckeye, white snowdrop anemone, white chokeberry, and blue sage. Along the path around Meadow Lake, shooting star, Canada anemone, and prairie smoke are in flower.
Along the road between parking lots 1 and 2 are yellow-blooming buckeye, maroon-flowering pawpaw, and white blooming hawthorn.
Near Parking Lot 3, hawthorns are blooming along with white-flowering alternate-leaved dogwoods. A short walk from parking lot 4, blooming shrubs include cotoneasters, deutzia, and shrubby cinquefoil.
There are still white big-leaved magnolias in bloom near Parking Lot 5.
In the East Woods, between parking lots 8 and 16, the trails are shady as the canopy of leaves closes overhead. Some wildflowers can still be seen, including the last blue flowering woodland phlox, pink wild geranium, white May-apples, pale blue wild hyacinth, and maroon pawpaw and trillium or wakerobin.
Near Parking Lot 15, there is an enchanting display of white- to lavender-flowering shooting star. Near Parking Lot 16 are white-flowering hawthorns and fringe-trees, and the Arboretum’s largest patch of pawpaw trees with their maroon flowers.
On the West Side
Along the road near Parking Lot 20 are flowers including pale-blue wild hyacinth, pink wild geranium, and blue woodland phlox.
At Parking Lot 21, stop for a walk to enjoy the gardens near the Thornhill Education Center, including the Fragrance Garden; Joy Path, with many peonies in or near bloom; and the Four Seasons Garden.
The Alternate Route between parking lots 26 and 29 leads through Sargent’s Glade and past Lake Marmo, with blue-flowering woodland phlox, pink wild geranium, and white hawthorns.
The Main Route between parking lots 22 and 30 leads past Daffodil Glade and Pine Hill, where there still are blooms of blue woodland phlox, pink wild geranium, yellow golden Alexanders, and white false Solomon’s seal.
The Schulenberg Prairie (Parking Lot 25) has begun to bloom in earnest, with white to lavender shooting star, white toadflax, and yellow lousewort.
Weigela are starting to bloom in the test beds in Godshalk Meadow (Parking Lot 33), amid a mix of perennials.
While this is the last bloom report for this spring, there is always plenty to see and do at The Morton Arboretum. There will always be bloom and color in the gardens, flower beds, and containers. The Schulenberg Prairie blooms and changes through the year and is always full of life. Along the trails through the tree collections and in the woodlands, there will be cooling shade, birds chirping, critter-spotting, and space to enjoy trees and nature and recharge our lives. Happy Early Summer!
