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Lion’s Tail, Tiger Lilies and Bear’s Breeches — Oh My!

Life is blooming on campus

Story by Wake Forest University May 4th, 2017

Spring has sprung at Wake Forest, and our landscaping crew has celebrated its arrival with eye-popping floral creations in every corner of campus. The technicolor works of art make the perfect backdrop for a game of Frisbee on Hearn Plaza or a philosophy class held al fresco on Manchester. As March unfolds each year, students and faculty catch a serious case of spring fever, and the only cure is to head outdoors to enjoy the warmth of the sunshine and the beauty of our campus.

University Photographer Ken Bennett cannot resist the allure of spring either. Enjoy the many ways he captures the sights of the season at Wake Forest.

Sarah Rudasill ('17) plays Friday Frisbee on Manchester Plaza, with the flowering trees in front of Tribble in full bloom.

"Earth laughs in flowers." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

The green thumb of Wake Forest's Landscape Services team is on full display in the spring, with vivid colors and creative designs popping up across campus. Seasonal perennials, ornamental grasses, flowering shrubs and bulbs create lush and inviting gardens to complement our Georgian architecture.

A white dogwood blooms in front of the arch leading to Hearn Plaza.
Thousands of daffodils fill the woods with color in front of Reynolda House Museum of American Art.
The cupola of the Z. Smith Reynolds Library is framed by forsythia blooms.
Daffodils bloom on the South Campus of Wake Forest, with Luter Residence Hall and Z. Smith Reynolds Library visible in the distance.
Tulips put on an amazing display every year in Reynolda Village.
The early morning sun illuminates Wait Chapel and a tulip bed on Hearn Plaza.
A cherry tree is in full bloom in front of Farrell Hall, the home of the Wake Forest School of Business.
A view of the plaza in front of Tribble Hall from the roof of the library, with Greene Hall in the distance.
The historic Reynolda Gardens of Wake Forest University is a lovely place for a walk on a spring morning. Here, a deciduous magnolia blooms.

Finding good light

With the arrival of spring, the days lengthen and offer lots of opportunities for capturing the beauty of our campus in perfect lighting. On a cool spring morning, early mist and the rising sun work in concert to create a stunning image of Z. Smith Reynolds Library.

The Z. Smith Reynolds Library cupola is one of the most recognizable architectural features on campus.

Get outside!

Whether it's for exercise or relaxation, study time or a break from the books - spring time means outdoor time. Nothing lifts the spirits or recharges the battery like a stroll through Reynolda Gardens, a mini-picnic on the Quad or hanging out on the swings on Davis Field.

Akeesha Corbin ('15), right, and Charlotte "Charlie" Titcomb ('15) play guitars outside Poteat Residence Hall one spring morning.
During the renovation of the pathway to Reynolda Village, 10,000 daffodil bulbs were planted.
Wake Forest philosophy professor Tyron Goldschmidt takes his Philosophy of Religion class outside on Manchester Plaza.
Students walk to class across Manchester Plaza early one April morning.
Kristi Chan ('15) reads in the crook of one of the cherry trees on campus.
Wake Forest students celebrate Holi, the Hindu spring festival of colors, on Manchester Plaza.
Cam David ('19), left, and Alex Moffe ('19) play table tennis on the Mag Quad.
Enjoying one of the swings on Davis Field.
Aylin Aguilar ('18), Tessa Stockdale ('18), and Omar Benjamin ('19) enjoy an unusually warm February afternoon on campus.
Picnic tables and sidewalk benches are at a premium as the days get warmer and longer.
Footnote: Photos by Ken Bennett, ©Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University, Wake Forest Road, Winston-Salem, NC, United States