The 4th of July is this Thursday and while we don’t have a Sunset Series scheduled, we have some activities to do before the fireworks begin. July is the best time to see the summer-blooming flowers from our exhibit Bloom!, and our live butterfly exhibit, SOAR – Tropical Butterflies. For those who want to stay on the holiday theme, we suggest going on a self-guided plant expedition to find flowers that are the same color as the American flag or look for flowers that look like fireworks (more info below!). The Garden will be open 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. For general admission tickets, click here.

Things to do in the Garden on the 4th of July 

1. Search for these red, white and blue flowers in the Garden: Flowers come in all colors, including the United States’ national colors of red, white and blue. Below are a few examples but there are plenty more throughout the Garden. Bring a friend and see how many red, white and blue flowers you can find.

Bongevilla and hybrid canna (Canna x generalis)

Mexican olive and Matilija poppy (Romneya coulteri)

Cleveland sage selection (Salvia clevelandii ‘Betsy Clebsch’) and plumbago

 


2. Find flowers that look like fireworks: Just like flowers bloom in all different colors, they also bloom in a variety of shapes. The flowers below remind us of fireworks with their round shape and pointed petals. This is a great activity for those who want to celebrate the day without the loud booming sounds that follow or little ones who might not be awake for the fireworks.

Passionflowers

Dahlias

Coast lily

 


3. See Bloom!: This exhibit is a celebration of nature and an invitation to tap into your senses. Not only are all our flowers visually stunning, but many of them also have delightful scents. With a variety of photo moments and flowers blooming around every corner, you’ll find yourself surrounded by beauty at every step. With spring being a little colder than we expected, our flowers really didn’t begin blooming until closer to summer – so we decided to extend Bloom! through August. For more information click here.

Dorothy and John Bohannon Rose Garden

 

4. Experience SOAR – Tropical Butterflies:  This exhibit will take you through a butterfly’s lifecycle, starting in the Host and Nectar Garden where visitors can see native butterflies lay eggs and caterpillars eat before turning into a chrysalis. The exhibit continues at the Emergence Chamber where visitors may see one of our tropical butterflies emerge from its pupa. The exhibit ends with a walk through the pavilion where visitors are surrounded by hundreds of fluttering butterflies. SOAR is at its peak in July because the butterflies are the most abundant and active during the hot summer months. For more information, click here.

SOAR- Tropical Butterflies