9 sites to catch beautiful blooms this spring and summer

JUNE Minnesota’s state flower — the showy lady’s slipper — can be found in the woods and along Lady Slipper Scenic Byway. Explore MN LADY’S SLIPPER – PENNINGTON, MINNESOTA While wildflowers

can be spotted just about everywhere in Minnesota in late spring, some of the prettiest and most unusual blooms hold out until summer. Minnesota’s state flower — the showy lady’s slipper —

can be found in woods such as Chippewa National Forest and along the eponymous Lady Slipper Scenic Byway. To enjoy the flowers, simply gaze out while driving along the byway, stop to stroll

along its many walking paths and boardwalk trail, and spend some time at the Lady Slipper Interpretive Site in Pennington. Blooms typically peak from late June through early July, and the

blossoms usually last 10 to 12 days. JULY South Dakota is one of the top producers of sunflowers, which bloom in late July or early August. Travel South Dakota SUNFLOWERS — PIERRE, SOUTH

DAKOTA Towering between 5 and 12 feet high, sunflowers are an unmistakable sign of summer, and in South Dakota, summer stretches long, tall and wide. As one of the world’s top producers of

sunflowers, the Mount Rushmore State is an excellent place to catch brilliant blooms in late summer. Here, sunflowers typically begin blooming in late July or early August, and stay at peak

for 30 days. Instead of heading to one particular farm or field, you have miles upon miles of sunflower farms to choose from. Start in the capital, Pierre, and head west on South Dakota

Highway 34, and, by extension, U.S. Highway 14 (especially the section from Hayes to Wall) and you’re almost guaranteed to have millions of sky-high sunflowers smiling down on you. Because

crops rotate annually, it’s impossible to pinpoint exactly how far you’ll need to drive to find the first field but as some of them are up to a few hundred acres large, it will be impossible

to miss them. If you want to take some flowers home, head to Fleurish Flower Farm, which offers You-Pick sunflower events Lavender blooms in Wisconsin typically peak in July and last

through August. Fragrant Isle Lavender Farm LAVENDER — DOOR COUNTY, WISCONSIN Home to an eye-popping 30,000 lavender plants, the Fragrant Isle Lavender Farm & Shop on Washington Island,

off the tip of Wisconsin’s Door County peninsula, almost feels like Provence, France. As the largest lavender farm in the Midwest, Fragrant Isle grows 14 varieties of the plant so you can

really get a sense of the various colors, shapes and smells they offer. Blooms typically peak in July and stay brilliant through August. While there is a fee for guided Field Tours, these

tours aren’t required to enter the fields. For lavender-based products and treats, don’t forget to check out the farm shop and café. Pro tip, Door County is also known for amazing summer

berry pies.