What's Blooming at Our Biggest Gardens

Spring's just days away; where can you see flowers aplenty?

If you're in shouting distance of a tree, shrub, plant or bush these days, you've likely noticed what people generally notice about this time of year: Time keeps on slippin', slippin', slippin' into the future. (Cheers, Steve Miller Band.)

Spring is here, in other words, or nearly, meaning that nature's most dramatic transformation of the year is going down all around. We know, autumn can be dramatic, but seeing a bare limb suddenly sprout new life ranks No. 1 on the "whoa" scale for plenty of people.

The poets of yore would surmise that your blood has set to simmering with spring fever about now. If they're right, and if that knobby, twig-filled bush you keep trying to coax buds from isn't quite thrilling you, there are other places to get your thrills. As in, SoCal's biggest and grandest gardens.

Nope, they're not free, but they're fabulous, and if you can carve out a whole day, you'll soak in all the splendor you're craving. Best of all? The gardens all keep online tabs as to what is currently blooming. Don't go if your favorite flowers aren't yet making a show.

The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens: Birds of Paradise (such the LA classic, no?), magnolias, and aeonium are all on the "blooming now" page. "Aeonium" is fun to say and pretty to behold.

Descanso Gardens: Tulips "got an early start this year thanks to warm, sunny days" says the La Canada Flintridge destination. Camellias -- of course, this is Descanso -- irises, and lilacs are all on the early springtime bloom list.

Los Angeles Arboretum and Botanical Garden: The Trumpet Trees are providing the wow at the Arcadia wild place. Also beautiful? Red silk cotton trees. Plenty of flowers are bursting as well around the grounds, too.

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