By Hadley Cheris, Tryon Palace Gardens and Greenhouse Manager
Happy April! What a difference from a year ago! Tryon Palace is so excited to be able to share spring in the gardens with you this year in person! Spring has burst forth anew in a sea of blooms, buds and colors! We’ve spent the winter and early spring “dusting off” and doing our cleaning of the gardens, making room for bulbs, perennials, shrubs and trees – giving them that burst of energy to drive us into the season!
April, in the Palace Gardens, features a myriad of blooms, opening almost daily from fuschia buckeyes to bright pops of snapdragons, and deep blues and purples of iris! The Stanly Garden is lit up with dogwoods, Lenten Roses and anemones, all shining white. The Kellenberger Garden shows off its diverse range of bulbs – corms and rhizomes from green and white Variegated Japanese Iris, to pastel peonies and ferny Arkansas Blue Star! The Wilderness is a particular favorite for those warmer days, giving a shady escape from the balmy spring sun while showing off azaleas, viburnums and naturalized bulbs- complete with newly refreshed paths to make your meandering easy!
One of our favorite spring events is our Tryon Palace Spring Plant Sale! This year, the sale will be Friday and Saturday, April 9 and 10, from 9am-5pm. There will be veggies, herbs, hanging baskets, porch planters, annuals, shrubs and perennials available. Come early to get your favorites!
That weekend is also Garden Lovers’ Weekend and the Palace Gardens will be free all weekend for you to enjoy; April 9-11. So don’t forget to put us on your schedule!
For a more detailed peek of the gardens, join us for a Behind the Scenes Garden Tour led by a member of our garden staff. Tours start at the Waystation, at 2pm on Tuesday, April 20 and 27, and May 18. There’s no better way to enjoy Spring than a walk through our Palace Gardens!
We hope to see you soon- Happy gardening!
Tryon Palace • 529 South Front Street • New Bern, NC 28562 • 252-639-3500 • www.tryonpalace.org