Spring is not the only time when Vienna is in full bloom. Various plants and trees grace the city with their blossoms throughout the year. There is always something colorful to discover – including in winter, although these particular plants tend to be found indoors. This Bloom Guide details all the normal flowering times and the best places to admire them.

The Hirschstetten Botanical Gardens showcase Vienna’s plant diversity from March to October, all packed into one location.

March

The first snowdrops and crocuses appear in Vienna’s meadows after the winter slumber. The main flowering period of hazel and alder trees begins even earlier if the weather is warm. The first of the early bloomers, such as tulips and daffodils, are planted in the gardens of Schönbrunn Palace.

© WienTourismus/Peter Rigaud

April

The star of April is the cherry blossom, which transforms some locations in Vienna such as the Danube Island, Setagaya Park and the Stadtpark into a rose-colored dream. They are accompanied by hyacinths and violets. Maple, pear and willow trees are also in bloom now. Work on the main planting arrangements begins at the Belvedere.

© Jeff Mangione / KURIER / picturedesk.com

May

The cherry trees are still in bloom and are joined by the magnolias. There is a particularly beautiful photo opportunity in front of the Votive Church. The 500 or so flower beds, including those in front of the City Hall, will be planted with their main summer arrangements. The chestnut blossom between the end of April and the beginning of June is particularly beautiful in the Green Prater. The lilacs also begin their display.

© WienTourismus/Gregor Hofbauer

June

In June, the city’s large flower beds are switching to summer blooms such as begonias, geraniums and petunias. Lime and elder trees are in bloom, and lavender and poppies can be found scattered around. The stars of June are the more than 200 varieties of roses in the Volksgarten. The “queens of flowers” were freed from the jute and coffee sacks in which they hibernate in March and have been growing ever since. However, these plants are at their most colorful during the main flowering period from the end of May to the beginning of July.

© WienTourismus / Christian Stemper

July & August

Summer is arriving in Vienna, and even though the main flowering season is coming to an end, the city offers plenty of green oases in which to take a break from the big city. On the outskirts of the city, sunflowers turn some of the fields yellow. The sweet chestnut is quite late to bloom and the hibiscus also adds a touch of color to the summer.

© WienTourismus/Erli Grünzweil

September & October

Green gives way to color again – yellows, oranges and reds are the dominant shades of autumn. Even though lime trees can still bloom in September, the trees slowly start to lose their leaves. Tulip and daffodil bulbs are planted in preparation for the next season. Vienna’s vineyards are a must-see in fall. The vineyards are a particularly pleasant place to stroll during the harvest season – and not forgetting a glass or two amongst the vines!

© WienTourismus/Peter Rigaud

November – February

During the winter months, Vienna’s flora admittedly doesn’t have much to offer outdoors. Plant enthusiasts can still get their fill indoors, though – in the Palm House in the Schönbrunn Palace Gardens, for example, or in the Butterfly House in the Burggarten or in the House of the Sea.  

© WienTourismus/Gregor Hofbauer

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