Spring explodes in a colorful extravaganza of tens of thousands of tulips and other bulbs when Atlanta Blooms: 200,000 Watts of Flower Power! pops up at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, March 22 to May 1.

The garden has doubled its number of spring-blooming bulbs – tulips, daffodils, hyacinth, crocus, to name a few – for a Dutch spectacle unlike any other in the Southeast. Last fall, nearly 100,000 additional new bulbs, including 70,000 tulips, were planted, enhancing existing displays to create electrified meadows of color.

“You will definitely not want to come here without your sunglasses,” said Mildred Pinnell Fockele, the Garden’s horticulture director. “Visitors will be shocked by all the color and beauty!”

By selecting bulbs based on when the variety blooms – early, mid- or late spring – the Garden is able to stagger their performances for a show spanning the entire season.

In addition to the bulbs, giant whimsical topiaries made of violas and other colorful annuals will accent the Garden for a stunning kickoff to spring. These larger-than-life figures – including a 5-foot owl with a 9-foot wingspan, a 10-foot tree, and several 5-foot flowers – will truly spark the imagination.

The bulbs and topiaries join swaths of existing perennial bulbs, pansies, phlox, spring wildflowers, native azaleas, and deciduous magnolias in blanketing the Garden in a technicolor rainbow – all aimed at welcoming spring with a bang of glory for years to come.

For information, visit atlantabotanicalgarden.org.