Admire two botanical besties — redwoods and rhododendrons — on a springtime hike

RAMBLING AMONG THE REDWOODS? Talk about a transportive experience of towering proportions. And though you're keeping an eye on the path — any hiker does, all to ensure sure footing — you're also likely looking up, like, far up, all to admire the giants of the sky. But there's another denizen you might delight in, one that can flourish during the spring months far closer to the ground: rhododendrons. The colorful flowers are known for growing quite well in some of California's lushest redwood forests, and finding the shrub in colorful bloom can be quite a sight. Picture it: The vista is full of deep green, bark brown, and fog gray, that wonderful trio of colors synonymous with the redwoods, and then splash: There's a spray of bright flowers, often in pink and lavender hues, adding contrast to the serene scene.

YOUR FRIENDLY RANGER... may have tips on which trails to take if you'd like to see the annual rhodie bloom, so be sure to ask a helpful employee while visiting Redwood National and State Parks. Or, for sure, just keep your eyes peeled for pops of eye-catching color among the ferns and mossy stretches found beneath the tall trees (spying yellow might mean you've encountered another colorful denizen of the redwoods, the banana slug). But there are other places to behold rhododendrons, the blossoms that are stunningly synonymous with the Northern California coast: The 45th Annual John Druecker Memorial Rhododendron Show is flowering at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens on May 4 and 5, 2024. Prepare to admire "hundreds of individual flower entries" at the event, which will be filled with "cascades of color and fragrance."

BOTANICAL BESTIES: We're not sure if the redwoods and rhododendrons would ever exchange friendship bracelets if given the opportunity, but finding the fabulous flowers keeping company with the tall trees, year after year, feels like an offbeat buddy movie in the making. Here's to the regal rhodie, a colorful California bloomer that captivates flower fans and redwood lovers alike.