A Prelude to Spring: Getting Intoxicated at the Smith College Bulb Show…

Tulipa © 2010 Michaela at The Gardener’s Eden

Lyman Conservatory, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts

Situated in one of the prettiest small towns in America -Northampton, Massachusetts- Smith College’s crown jewel, Lyman Conservatory, is a pleasure to visit at any time of the year. This beautiful oasis has always been one of my favorite horticultural destinations. When I was in college, (at the University of Massachusetts, just a short hop across the river from Smith), I spent a great deal of time at Lyman Conservatory and the Smith College Botanic Garden. One of the joys of furthering your education in the five-college area is the number of shared-resources, (known as the five college consortium), between schools. This spectacular glasshouse at Smith is one inter-collegiate-perk I didn’t miss, and I continue to enjoy it as often as possible.

Every year in March, Smith College presents a very popular spring bulb show. Although the theme remains the same, the annual displays and tandem-exhibits vary from year to year. This time around, the spring the show included an opening lecture by Lynden Miller, author of Parks, Plants, and People: Beautifying the Urban Landscape, and continues with an on-going exhibition of photographs, The Inner Beauty of Flowers, (PDF catalogue link), by retired radiologist Merrill C. Raikes MD.  I will write more about the Raikes exhibit next week. Overall the show is extraordinary, and well worth visiting if you are in New England. But beware: the visual and olfactory stimulation proved quite intoxicating…

Smith College 2010 Bulb Show

Although spring-flowering bulbs are planted in the autumn, now is a great time to pull out a calendar or garden notebook and jot down design notes and ideas for next year’s show. I don’t know about you, but I am always far too busy in September to think about ordering bulbs. Usually, I order my spring-blooming bulbs before July in order to secure the best selection, and price. For example, you can save a bundle by pre-ordering “The Works”, (a top-shelf daffodil mix), before July 1st, from White Flower Farm, in advance. Attending bulb shows is a great way to familiarize yourself with newer bulb introductions as well as other spring-blooming beauties. Also, keep your eye out for some of the lovely plant-partners that will complement spring flowering bulbs. As foliage begins to yellow, it’s important to allow your bulbs to die back naturally. Never clip or braid or tie up bulb foliage. The best way to conceal the unattractive decay is with large-leafed companion plants, (think ferns, coral bells, hosta, rogersia, etc).

I will be paying Lyman Conservatory a few more visits over the coming weeks, so there will be more images and thoughts to share. To start, here are some photos I snapped at the bulb show. The experience may require a ‘caution, potentially addictive‘ warning label…

Tulipa II © 2010, Michaela at The Gardener’s Eden

Fritillaria © 2010, Michaela at The Gardener’s Eden

Tulipa III © 2010, Michaela at The Gardener’s Eden

Primula © 2010, Michaela at The Gardener’s Eden

Camellia © 2010, Michaela at The Gardener’s Eden

Smith College Bulb Show © TGE

On my shopping list: Bulb by Anna Pavord -Beautiful inspiration

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Article and photographs copyright 2010, Michaela at The Gardener’s Eden. All rights reserved. All content on this site, (with noted exceptions), is the property of The Gardener’s Eden and may not be used or reproduced without express written consent. Inspired by something you see here? Please give credit where credit is due. It’s a small world, and link-love makes for fond friendships. Stealing makes for bad dreams…

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