New York Blooms Report

In New York City, lilacs are in full bloom at Madison Square Park Conservancy in Manhattan, and early blooms are appearing on roses. Tulips at the conservancy have finished blooming and are now past peak. Upcoming events at the park include Forest Bathing on May 29 and a Garden Walk on June 11. Also in Manhattan, staff at Riverside Park Conservancy report that lilacs are in full bloom, and roses are budding.

Observers at the Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn report that magnolias, cherry blossoms, and tulips have finished blooming and are now past peak. The cemetery has a massive collection of azaleas and rhododendrons, and most are in full bloom, punctuating the landscape with vibrant pink, purple, and fuchsia. This weekend, the cemetery will host multiple family-friendly tours that will focus on its plants and the pollinators that depend on them: Meet Your Green Neighbors, Bugging Out, and Pollinators of Green-Wood. In Staten Island, staff at Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden report the appearance of some early rose blooms.

In the Bronx, staff at the New York Botanical Garden report that roses are budding, and while lilacs are mostly past peak, there are still some late blooming varieties that are fragrant and beautiful. Upcoming events at the garden include an Ecotherapy Tour, Thain Forest Tour, Azalea Garden Tour, Native Plant Garden Tour, Perennial Garden Tour, Forest Bathing Meditative Audio Experience, Magnificent Trees of the New York Botanical Garden, and Spring Garden Highlights.

On Long Island, staff at Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park in Oyster Bay report that lilacs are in full bloom. Planting Fields is home to a beautifully-designed Lilac Walk by the Blue Pool Garden that dates to the 1920s. Magnolias, cherry blossoms, and tulips on site have finished blooming and are now past peak. Planting Fields’ Rose Arbor is growing full, with healthy green leaves, but no buds. Staff expect to see additional activity within the next four weeks. Other special blooms at Planting Fields include dogwoods, Lily of the Valley, a hardy orange tree, and peonies. Upcoming events include Rhododendron Tours with Vincent Simeone, Ikebana Workshop with Paula Tam on May 19, and A Moveable Feast on June 22.

Observers at Bayard Cutting Arboretum State Park in Oakdale report that magnolias, cherry blossoms, and tulips have finished blooming and are now past peak, while roses have yet to begin budding. Other special blooms at the arboretum include Eastern rosebuds, and rhododendrons. At Sands Point Preserve in Sands Point, early blooms are appearing on roses, while magnolias, cherry blossoms, and tulips have finished blooming and are now past peak.

In the Hudson Valley, staff at Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz report that lilacs and cherry blossoms are in full bloom, and roses are budding. Magnolias and tulips on site have finished blooming and are now past peak. In Germantown, staff at Clermont State Historic Site note that while most lilacs have begun to fade, the Korean lilac, Syringa meyeri, has just started to open, prolonging their season of lilac bloom and fragrance. Additionally, early blooms are appearing on roses, and their first peony is blooming. Most of Clermont’s peony collection is in their Cutting Garden.

In Sleepy Hollow, observers at Kykuit, the Rockefeller Estate report that in addition to some early blooms having appeared on roses, most are now budding. At Olana State Historic Site in Hudson, cherry blossoms are in full bloom, while tulips have finished blooming and are now past peak. Early rose blooms are appearing at Untermyer Park & Gardens in Yonkers. While the gardens’ early and midseason lilacs are past peak, there should be a few more days to enjoy the later changing blooms.

In the Capital-Saratoga region, observers in Albany at Washington Park’s formal gardens report that lilacs are in full bloom, and, while most of the tulips are now past peak, there are still some in bloom. In Slingerlands, staff at Pine Hollow Arboretum report lilacs are in full bloom, as are yellow magnolias, and early blooms are appearing on roses. Additionally, peonies and azaleas are in full bloom, and rhododendrons are just starting to bloom. On Saturday, May 18, Levi O’Brien will give two tours at the arboretum, showing participants how to identify trees. In Esperance, staff at Landis Arboretum report that yellow and pink magnolias continue to bloom, and that lilacs, just reaching full bloom, are incredibly fragrant. Cherry trees are past peak, but some blossoms are still visible, and redbuds are now blooming. The arboretum will be holding a Spring Plant, Book & Bake Sale, May 18-19.

In the Adirondacks, staff at Fort Ticonderoga’s King’s Garden in Ticonderoga report that lilacs are in full bloom, and early blooms are appearing on tulips. Washington Park will host a Tulip Dig & Sale, May 18-19.

In Central New York, staff at Cutler Botanic Garden in Binghamton report that lilacs are in full bloom, and roses are budding. The garden has over 100 specimens of roses. Additionally, the garden’s redbuds and crabapples are still in bloom. On May 31 and June 1, the garden will host its annual Master Gardener Plant Sale. Observers at Sycamore Hill Gardens in Marcellus note that magnolias and lilacs are in full bloom, and roses are budding. The gardens’ cherry blossoms and tulips have finished blooming and are now past peak.

In the Finger Lakes, observers at Franklin Square Park in Syracuse report that cherry blossoms and tulips have finished blooming and are now past peak. At Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion State Historic Park in Canandaigua, cherry blossoms are in full bloom, while early blooms are appearing on lilacs. In Rochester, staff at Highland Park report that lilacs are in full bloom, creating the perfect backdrop for this year’s Rochester Lilac Festival, taking place now through May 19.

In the Greater Niagara region, lilacs and tulips are in full bloom, and roses are budding, at Niagara Falls State Park in Niagara Falls. The park’s cherry blossoms have finished blooming and are now past peak. In Buffalo, observers at Forest Lawn Cemetery report that lilacs are in full bloom, while tulips have finished blooming and are now past peak. Also in Buffalo, staff at Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens report that magnolias, cherry blossoms, and tulips are in full bloom, and that early blooms are appearing on lilacs and roses.

In the Chautauqua-Allegheny region, staff at Chautauqua Institution Gardens in Chautauqua report that lilacs are in full bloom, and roses are budding. The gardens’ magnolias have finished blooming and are now past peak.

No significant activity reported this week from partners in the Thousand Islands-Seaway region.

No significant activity reported this week from partners in the Catskills region.