Spring Activity: Cheekwood in Bloom

For longtime Nashvillians, the official start of spring isn’t a week off with the kids or the sundry 80-degree days that dot early April, but the 250,000 bulbs that begin to rear their heads at Cheekwood a couple of weeks after Valentine’s Day. Now in its 13th year, the spring showcase has seen marked growth, nearly doubling its amount of tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils perfectly arranged across the estate’s 55 acres. 

Though Cheekwood in Bloom officially began on March 8th and runs through the end of the weekend, March asserting its lion and lamb reputation may have kept many fans of the gardens delaying their visit. But those procrastinators couldn’t have picked a better weekend than this one. In addition to a favorable forecast, April 12-13 will feature music and food trucks in the spring beer garden all day long with plenty of room for couples and families to spread out picnic-style or roam the grounds.

Through November 2nd, Cheekwood will also host renowned pop artist Robert Indiana’s 1970 The American LOVE (White Blue Red) sculpture as part of its Masterpiece Art Series. Conceived as a way for Indiana to express his love of country, the statue will remain an anchor of Cheekwood’s summer gardens as it prepares for its 4th of July festivities. 

For those who can’t make it out to the grounds this weekend, Cheekwood also has a stacked Easter itinerary with the Great Spring Art Hunt. Just as many of the bulbs may be losing their luster, the gardens will be home to 36,000 Easter eggs and “larger than life” bunny murals ripe for a scavenger hunt. While Cheekwood has packed plenty into its pre-Easter itinerary, it’s just getting started with its 2025 plans. 

More information about Cheekwood in Bloom can be found on its website.