Smith College Bulb Show

Driving through the wet snow and slush to the Smith College Lyman Plant House was no fun, but the trip is always worth it, even when the Bulb Shows and Chrysanthemum Shows are a happy memory.
Before I even got to the famous bulb display I passed orchids in bloom like this moth orchid, Phaleanopsis.

There were big orchids like this Cattylea.

Tiny orchids.

Cascading orchids.

Birds of Paradise were in bloom in a Tropical Room

with a doorway guarded by this Clivia. But then you go into one of the two bulb show rooms and you are surrounded by blossoms and the scent of spring.

I think this display is one of the reasons several people told me this was the best show in recent years. All the colors of the sun, so welcome after a particularly difficult winter.

There were golden tableaux.

And pink, with cinnerarias and hyacinths,

and a peony. Can you imagine the knowledge, coordination, labor,and control it takes to monitor conditioning temperatures, then light, to get all these different plants to be in perfect bloom all at the same time?

A blue tableaux with all the freshness of a cool spring.

I didn’t recognize these as a hyacinth vaariety.

The hyacinth was familiar, but not the color which was a subtle peach. I’m not sure the photo catches the shade well.

Nor had I ever seen white grape hyacinths which were beautiful.

The Gallery had a beautiful exhibit all about tulips, and a brief history, especially of the ‘broken tulips’ that were so prized. Also on display were lithographs of broken tulips by noted artist Rory McEwen.

But finally it was time to fly home. You still have time to fly to Northampton and Lyman Plant House which is open every day from 10 to 4 pm. The Bulb Show will continue until Sunday, March 22.

And don’t forget, you still have time to entry the great Johnny’s Selected Seed Give Away. Just leave a comment. The drawing will be on Saturday, March 14. Good luck to you all.

You might be interested in these other posts:

1. Smith College Spring Bulb Show This is how things looked on the hill on Tuesday. We still had three feet...
2. Smith College Bulb Show Robert Nicholson, Manager of the Lyman Conservatory at Smith College complained about the challenges of...
3. Behind the Scenes at the Bulb Show The Smith College Annual Bulb Show, always spectacular, is one of the ways some of...

6 Comments

• 

  By MrBrownThumb, March 10, 2009 @ 7:42 pm

  Thanks for the tour. I really like that print. It looks so much nicer than any photo I’ve ever seen.
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  By Pat Leuchtman, March 11, 2009 @ 9:55 am

  MrBrownThumb – All the lithographs were really beautiful. Smith College has some amazing resources.
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  By Rosehaven Cottage, March 11, 2009 @ 1:49 pm

  Such phenomenal colors in the tableaux!!!!! I have two bird of paradise in my garden (they can winter-over here) that I hope will get big enough to bloom this year as they just went in last summer.

  Cindy
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  By Anne, March 11, 2009 @ 6:18 pm

  Wow, gorgeous photos! Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving your nice comment… glad to make your acquaintance!
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  By Tinky Weisblat, March 11, 2009 @ 8:12 pm

  How wonderful to look at all that color amid all this mud! Thanks so much,Pat.
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  By Ann D. Travers, March 12, 2009 @ 7:59 pm

  Hi Pat.
  I made it to the Chrysanthemum show in November. What a treat that was.(http://northeastgardener.blogspot.com/2008/11/fall-chrysanthemum-show-at-smith.html Nov. 16th post with a slide show). I got sidetracked by the greenhouses too. The camellias were starting to bloom then. Unfortunately I don’t think I’ll be able to make it up for the bulb show. Will get it on the calendar early for next year though. Thanks for sharing this. Excellent photos.

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