Peak Bloom Is Happening for The Huntington's Roses

It feels like, by the middle of May, we're not uttering the words "peak bloom" or "super bloom" quite as much as we were back in March or April.

The California poppies, if they've made their Antelope Valley appearance, have wrapped up their seasonal run, and any desert flowers that made a showing in late winter have long since vamoosed.

Of course, we still have the mountain flowers to think of, the lupines and irises that bring peak bloom to our state's mountain peaks and meadows as summer draws near.

But hold up on all of this: When the middle of May makes its bright entrance, so, too, do the roses of Southern California, flowers that do pretty well a lot of the time around the region.

Come the fifth month, though? Roses totally level up, and fast, and one glance at some of our area's glorious gardens tells the scent-strong story.

The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens, a place synonymous with the showy blossom, just announced that its ethereal "#RoseGarden has officially hit peak bloom status."

That reveal, on May 11, arrives just two days after Mother's Day 2021, a holiday that finds plenty of visitors to the spacious and airy expanse of regal rosedom.

A few things to keep in mind if you'd like to partake in the peak?

You'll need to make an advance reservation to visit the San Marino landmark, which includes dozens of lush, leafy, and oh-so-strollable acres.

And some of the galleries, including the one featuring Thomas Gainsborough's "The Blue Boy"? They're now open.

You can even enjoy Tea for Two while at The Huntington, though not at the tearoom; you'll want to savor it outside at 1919 café.

Find more information on safety guidelines, what else is blooming, The Huntington's history- and art-amazing programs, and more, bloom in this direction now.

Pictured: A past rose bloom at The Huntington.