What’s Blooming This Spring in the NCMA’s Ann and Jim Goodnight Museum Park

Rachel Woods March 25, 2022

Spring is in full swing! Come celebrate with a tour of the flowers in bloom in the Museum Park.

A mix of white flowering bulbs in all shapes and sizes welcomes visitors at the main NCMA entrance; all photos: Rachel Woods

Begin your exploration of color in the formal landscape around East Building and West Building.

Saucer Magnolia, Magnolia x soulangeana, blooms every year in early spring along the walkway to East Building.

A variety of bulbs and Lenten Rose begin blooming in early spring in the landscape beds throughout the Plaza.

Lenten Rose blooming beneath the Saucer Magnolia along the entrance path between East Building and West Building

Tulip Madonna and Coral Bells

Take a short walk from the Plaza to the Carla McKinney Volunteer Garden to see beautiful, native flowering trees, including Redbud Trees and White Fringetrees.

Redbud Tree

White Fringetree

During your tour of blooms in the Carla McKinney Volunteer Garden, be sure not to miss the Catawba Rhododendron, Dwarf Fothergilla, Florida Anisetree, and Lenten Rose.

Catawba Rhododendron

Dwarf Fothergilla is a low-growing attractive shrub with white fluffy blooms appearing in early April.

Florida Anisetree

Lenten Rose

Head to Picture This to see the Crossvine and Carolina Jessamine blooming on the R letter form. These beautiful native vines are excellent nectar sources in early spring for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

Crossvine

Carolina Jessamine

In April look for the Apple Serviceberry and Flowering Dogwood Tree blooming throughout the Museum Park.

Apple Serviceberry

Flowering Dogwood Tree

In April the woodlands in the Museum Park are full of native wildflowers, such as this Green and Gold, Perfoliate Bellwort, and Bloodroot:

Green and Gold

Perfoliate Bellwort

Bloodroot

The Parterre Garden and Wave Gardens surrounding the Ellipse provide a variety of floral displays throughout spring:

In late April and early May, the Wave Gardens surrounding the Ellipse come alive with a sea of blooming Bluestar. The little blue flowers on thousands of Bluestar form a ripple of color through the landscape.

Lilac Wonder Tulip in bloom in the Parterre Gardens

In May Adam’s Needle, Yucca filamentosa, produces abundant blooms in the Parterre Gardens.

Come visit the Park this spring and capture your own colorful pictures! Share them on social media at #ncartmuseum and #ArtNaturePeople.

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