Shake off the winter chill and warm up to the sights and sounds of a colorful Kansas spring. Tulips explode into a kaleidoscope of blooms at botanical gardens across the state, while cities and towns kick off the season with cultural events you won’t want to miss. Here’s a sampler of it all.

Splashy

Extraordinary woodlands, sunny botanical gardens, and fragrant fields of flowers invite you down their paths for bouquets, inspiration, and show-stopping snaps.

Photography by Aaron Patton

BARTLETT ARBORETUM

BELLE PLAINE

Once a rarity on the treeless prairie, this woodland sanctuary flourishes a