It’s amazing what a few days of warm weather will do to transform Washington Square Park! No longer cold and bare, the trees and garden beds are bursting with blooms! Here are a few of our favorites that are currently in bloom or will be soon. 

Crocuses

A favorite first sign of spring, crocuses are often the first thing out of the ground. Sprinkling the garden bed with pops of purple, yellow, and white, these flowers are a cheerful reminder that warmer weather can’t be far away. While you can find them all over the Park, crocuses are making a particularly spectacular display in the pollinator garden beds at the 4 corner entrances.

Daffodils

Thanks to the Daffodil Project, WSP has been bursting with pops of yellow, white, and orange since late March. Formally known as “Narcissus,” these beauties are predominantly spring perennial plants of the Amaryllidaceae family. You can find all different varieties of this spring stunner scattered around the Park.

Katharine Hodgkin Iris  

They might be small, but this hybrid flower, whose parents are Iris winogradowii (pale yellow flowers) and Iris histrioides (pale blue flowers), packs quite a punch! Intricately marked pale blue flowers have distinctive deep blue veining with a purple-spotted yellow blotch. Keep an eye out for these by the Park House. They bloom from March to April so catch them before they fade!

Saucer Magnolia

If you’re looking for a showstopper look no further than the saucer magnolias. With beautiful pink and white flowers that can grow up to 10 inches in diameter, these trees just scream “spring.” It’s hard to miss them blooming to the South East of the Arch.

Star Magnolia

Although not as colorful as their “saucer” cousin, this magnolia is a star in it’s own right. Dainty velvet buds give way to fragrant white blossoms that look almost like roses when they first open. Long narrow petals radiate out from the center and give the impression of a sparkling star. There’s a beautiful specimen in full bloom by the tot playground.

Yoshino Cherry

The first of the Park’s cherry trees to pop this season is the Yoshino. These trees bloom in early spring with pale white and pink flowers that give off a delicate scent before leafing out. This tree is a hybrid cherry whose parents are the Oshima zakura and Edo higan. Don’t miss the stunning example flourishing by the Thompson Street entrance.