Spring in Savannah: A Photo Essay

Spring in Savannah is one of the most popular times of year to visit, and it only takes one look at the photos to understand why! Between the azaleas, climbing roses, jasmine, magnolias, fringe trees, and agapanthus, Savannah is bursting with color all season long.

If you’re new around here, first of all … allow me to extend a warm welcome!

My name is Erin, and I authored the Savannah First-Timer’s Guide. It combines my top tips from this website into one handy downloadable guide.

You might also be interested in:
🌳 The Best Time to Visit Savannah (According to a Local)
🌸 Savannah Weather in March: Azaleas, Pollen, and What to Wear!

Table of Contents

Spring in Savannah

The best places to go to see all of the beautiful flowers around the city are the cemeteries in Savannah (particularly Bonaventure Cemetery and Laurel Grove Cemetery), the squares and neighborhoods in the Historic District, and at the Savannah Botanical Gardens.

What’s Blooming in Savannah?

Here is a very general timeline to help you with your planning…

March: This is prime azalea season! Dogwoods also begin blooming in March, and you can often spot yellow climbing roses in gardens throughout the Historic District. Sometimes the camellias are fading away, so you might catch remnants of them, too.
April: This is the time for Chinese fringe trees and dogwood blossoms. Sometimes the jasmine begins blooming late in the month. The Spanish moss gets tiny blossoms on it starting around this time of year.
May: Jasmine is the star of the show during May, and it looks (and smells) heavenly! Southern magnolias bloom in May, too. Bright purple agapanthus starts to bloom at the end of spring and lasts into the summer months.

Savannah Azaleas

If you can time your trip to coincide with azalea season, it’s by far the prettiest time of year to visit Savannah. The entire city seems like it’s covered in pink and white blossoms!

Allow me to present photographic evidence of this phenomenon…

Stately home in Savannah with an intricately detailed white front porch, a gas lantern near the door, and hundreds of pink and white azaleas growing over a wrought iron fence — *Gotta love it when the sun casts a warm glow over the azaleas!* | *©Erin Clarkson* | *Canon EOS R + Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 L USM Lens*

Off-white rowhomes in Savannah with black shutters on one and blue shutters on the other, with an assortment of pink and white azalea bushes in the garden

An assortment of hot pink and light pink azaleas in the foreground and The Olde Pink House restaurant in the background

Hundreds of large pink azaleas in the foreground with a blurred marquis sign for the Lucas Theatre in Savannah in the background

An old gas lamppost in Savannah surrounded by pale pink azaleas — *This light pink variety is called Autumn Belle® by Encore®* | *©Erin Clarkson* | *Canon EOS R + Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 L USM Lens*

Stately 3-story brick mansion in the background with pink, hot pink, and white azaleas near the front entrance, and dozens of hot pink blooms in the foreground of the photo — *Sometimes I tell people this city looks like something out of a storybook when the azaleas are in bloom. You almost have to see it to believe it.* | *©ErinClarkson*

A courtyard on Jones Street in Savannah is bursting with spring color from hot pink azaleas and yellow climbing roses — *This spectacular garden is located on Jones Street, which is one of the **prettiest streets in Savannah**. Shoutout to the talented James H. for always making it look so beautiful!* | *©Erin Clarkson* | *Canon EOS R + Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 L USM Lens*

A mansion in Savannah at dusk with stairs covered in ivy and surrounded by light pink azaleas — *This stunning scene is on Gaston Street*. | *©Erin Clarkson* | *Canon EOS R + Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 L USM Lens*

A brick sidewalk in Savannah surrounded on both sides by oversized azalea bushes overflowing with pink blossoms — *There’s no such thing as too many azaleas!* | *©Erin Clarkson* | *Canon EOS R + Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 L USM Lens*

Chinese Fringe Trees

It’s so fun when the Chinese fringe trees start blooming! From a distance, they look like they’re covered with giant cotton balls.

Chinese fringe tree with thousands of delicate white blooms silhouetted against the golden glow of the setting sun — *If you spot them in the distance during a sunset, sometimes it looks like they’re covered in buttery popcorn.* | *©ErinClarkson*

However, once you move closer it’s apparent they’re actually covered with thousands (maybe even hundreds of thousands?) of delicate white blossoms.

Dozens of clusters of delicate white blooms form cotton-ball or popcorn-like shapes in a Chinese fringe tree, which is backlit by the golden glow of the setting sun in Savannah

Close-up of hundreds of delicate white blooms silhouetted against bright-green leaves on a Chinese fringe tree in Savannah — *Each one of those little petals flutters in the wind whenever there’s a breeze.* | *©ErinClarkson*

The fringe trees begin blooming in mid March and usually start to peak by early April. They bloom for approximately two weeks and draw lots of attention.

It’s common to see questions pop up in local Facebook groups with people asking, “What are those white trees blooming all over Savannah?”

Close-up of the delicate white blossoms on a Chinese fringe tree. Each bloom contains a cluster of dozens of elongated white petals

The branch of a Chinese fringe tree loaded with hundreds of delicate white blossoms

Black gas lantern surrounded by a fringe tree covered in Spanish moss and delicate white blooms

The three shots above are of a fringe tree in Taylor Square, but the best place to spot dozens in bloom all at once is in the median along Abercorn Street just south of Victory Drive.

Resurrection Fern

Let’s pause for a brief break from all the blooms so I can show you a sight that’s even more stunning than the azaleas. Behold the beauty of Southern live oaks covered in resurrection fern…

Massive oak tree with branches covered in bright green resurrection fern in Savannah, Georgia — *This resurrection fern-covered tree is so beautiful that I chose it for the cover of my **Savannah First-Timer’s Guide**!*

Resurrection fern is a type of fern that lies dormant for much of the year. However, as soon as it rains in Savannah the fern “resurrects” and puts on quite a show in all its fluffy green glory!

📸 Photography Tip: If you’re a photographer, you’re definitely going to want to shoot in Savannah just after a fresh rainfall. In addition to the resurrection fern, there are many areas that flood downtown, and you can capture some excellent reflection shots!

FAQs

What is spring like in Savannah Georgia?

Spring in Savannah, Georgia, is a very pretty time of year. The weather is usually mild, with lows in the 60s to 70s and highs in the 70s to upper 80s. Flowers bloom throughout the season, beginning with azaleas in early March, then magnolias and jasmine in April and May.

What do people wear in Savannah in the spring?

If you’re wondering what to wear in Savannah during the spring, plan on packing layers. It’s often cool in the mornings and evenings, but the temperatures warm up significantly midday. Note that it’s often a few degrees cooler along River Street due to the breeze blowing in off the river.

Why is it called resurrection fern?

Resurrection fern gets its name because it shrivels up and turns brown when the weather is dry, but as soon as a significant amount of rain falls, the plant “resurrects” and springs to life with bright green fronds.

Savannah Travel Guide

If you’re planning to a trip to Savannah, here are a few additional resources I’ve created to help you out.

Free Resources Library – When you sign up for my email list, you’ll get a checklist of “50 Things To Do On Foot in the Historic District (No Car Necessary)” and other helpful printables.
Savannah First-Timer’s Guide – My ebook combines my most helpful Savannah travel tips from this website in one handy downloadable guide.

When you purchase my ebook, you’ll also gain access to a private Facebook group where you can ask questions about your trip and get advice from others who have recently visited.

If you have any questions about springtime in Savannah, please leave a comment below.

Erin authored the Savannah First-Timer's Guide and loves helping first-time visitors plan their trips. She lives in the artsy Starland District and enjoys exploring Savannah's hidden gems, as well as the surrounding Lowcountry.