The calendar says spring is still officially weeks away. One look at the drab New England landscape, and it's obvious our wait may actually be much longer. Yet, as it has for a century, spring erupts early in Northampton, Massachusetts, where the Smith College Spring Bulb Show runs March 2-17, 2013.
It's quite a scientific feat to force thousands of bulbs to bloom in unison weeks before their outdoor counterparts usually dare end their hibernation. Since the early 1900s, Smith students have potted bulbs in the fall, placed them in cold storage, then warmed them in greenhouses at exactly the right temperature and time to ensure their March debut. As you'll see from my 2010 Spring Bulb Show photos (click images for a larger view), the resulting tapestry of blooms is a work of pure artistry.
For a $2 donation, you, too, can leave winter behind and enjoy the lush shades and scents of spring. An After the Show Bulb Sale runs March 23-24.
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