Tulips in bloom in time for annual Zoo Blooms Event  

Zoo Blooms, presented by Delta Dental, is starting early this year, with vibrant flowers already putting on a colorful display throughout the gardens. Come this weekend to see the early blooms and enjoy a beautiful start to spring at the #1 Best Botanical Garden in the Nation.  

Photos | Video  

“Our horticulture team is the best of the best,” said Cincinnati Zoo director Dave Jenike.  “Zoo Blooms has become a tradition for our community, a celebration of spring that brings generations together to experience the beauty of nature and the joy of the Zoo.” 

The tulip display, featuring more than 100,000 tulips, is never the same from year to year.  New varieties are added to the landscape each year, and information about which ones do best in the Midwestern climate are shared with growers, nurseries, and the public. At the end of tulip season, the horticulture team and volunteers dig up all the bulbs to make room for the annuals that will be planted next.  

Thanks to warmer weather, the gardens are already blooming. These blooms are an integral part of the Zoo’s popular Tunes & Blooms event, sponsored by Holland Commercial Roofing, which features free concerts in the gardens on the first four Thursdays in April. 

The efforts of the Zoo’s horticulture department are complemented by the work that the plant division at its Center for Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW) to propagate and preserve endangered plants. The Native Plant Program team works closely with CREW, often growing plants in its nurseries to plant back into the wild, making a significant impact on the preservation of biodiversity. 

Along with Zoo Blooms, guests can also look forward to more spring fun, including the Easter Celebration, sponsored by Mike’s Carwash, on April 4. This event features animals receiving Easter-themed enrichment and Treat Stations throughout the day. Guest favorites also return for the season, including the Bobcat Enterprises Inc. Cheetah Encounter, beginning April 3, and Blakely’s Barnyard Bonanza, sponsored by Grippo’s, beginning April 4. 

Visitors can explore the award-winning Botanical Garden & Zoo all year round.  The Zoo is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.  Members are invited to enter the Zoo one hour earlier, one of the many perks of belonging to the Zoo family.  Zoo Memberships, sponsored by Thomas & Galbraith Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical, are on sale now – April 30!