Bloom! opens Monday, April 1, and it’s no secret the Garden has entered its best season as spring has officially arrived. To celebrate and highlight the best that Mother Nature offers, we created Bloom!, our springtime exhibit. This exhibit is a self-guided sensory experience and highlights the areas that are known for being grand floral displays including a newly planted meadow and a few Instagram-worthy photo ops. This exhibit is unlike anything we’ve created before, so to help you prepare we created the ultimate guide to experiencing Bloom! 

Know Before You Go: 

  • Bloom! is included with General Garden Admission, so it’s FREE for Members and up to $15 for non-members. 
  • Advance reservations are required by ALL on weekends, holidays and Free Tuesdays (the third Tuesday of every month).
  • Keep an eye out on our Bloom! Watch. This exhibit features many natural areas in the Garden that will bloom at different times. Since when these various areas bloom is in the hands of Mother Nature, we will help you keep an eye on it through our Bloom! Watch which can be found on our website, social media and on site. But don’t worry, there will ALWAYS be something to see in this exhibit and so many reasons to keep coming back to see more! 
  • Bring your walking shoes and your camera! While the main displays of Bloom! are within our front 40 acres, the Bloom! map also includes additional areas where spring blooms may be popping up throughout our entire 87 acres. You’ll want to be sure to have on walking shoes and to have your camera ready for all the various photo opportunities.
  • Some areas of Bloom! might be impassable for wheelchairs or those with mobility issues. Our accessibility vehicle is available Monday-Friday upon request and runs regularly on the weekends. Also, please note, some areas of the exhibit may have limited access during private events. Please check our closures page for more information prior to your visit.
  • Groups, including field trips, troops, walking groups and more are welcome! Learn how you can enhance your group visit even more here.

 

During Your Visit:

  • Before you can awaken your senses you’re going to need to find all our Bloom! locations. Make sure to pick up a Bloom! map at the check-in window to find all of our floral displays, photo ops and additional blooming locations. 
  • This exhibit is about more than just pretty flowers, it’s an invitation to be fully present in nature. Make sure to read the signs at each floral display and follow the prompts to awaken your senses and be in the moment.
  • Stop and be present in the Amphitheater Lawn. We planned something extra special for this newly planted floral display. The vision was to create a space where visitors could simply be among the flowers and take in their beauty. The horticulture team planted over 21,000 bulbs of varying heights and created spaces where visitors are invited to lay, sit and stand in our meadow. To help you be even more present, we have signs inviting you to practice some yoga and get your zen on.
  • Take pictures at our photo ops. In addition to the floral displays, we created some additional photo-worthy moments. From giant Bloom! letters to nests of flowers, you’ll want to have your cameras ready. And if you feel like posting online, make sure to use #BLOOMatSCBG.
  • Please be sure not to climb the Bloom! letters. We’ve provided acrylic chairs for your safety and convenience to ensure the best possible picture opportunities!
  • In addition to the locations we are highlighting for Bloom!, we also marked areas of the Garden that will also be blooming at various times during the exhibit’s run. These areas are indicated with lavender dots on our Bloom! map.
  • Come back to see what we have blooming next! Mother Nature is unpredictable and flowers only bloom for a limited time which means Bloom! is an ever-changing exhibit. Make sure to come back every couple of weeks to see how the exhibit changes.

To learn more about Bloom! and to book tickets, visit our Bloom! page.