Spring Bulb Show and Opening Lecture at Smith College

Smith College's annual bulb show, which will run daily from Saturday, March 6, through Sunday, March 21, in the Lyman Conservatory, College Lane, will feature two special events this year.

The first will be an opening lecture at 7 p.m., Friday, March 5, in Seelye 106 by renowned horticulturalist Mary Ann McGourty, who will speak about "Ground Covers and Bulbs: The Finishing Touches." A reception will follow the lecture in the Lyman Conservatory.

McGourty, who has contributed articles to American Horticulturalist and Brooklyn Botanic Garden Handbooks, co-owns Hillside Gardens, a nursery in Norfolk, Conn., which specializes in uncommon perennials and perennial garden design. Among her recent achievements is the development of a spectacular new cultivar, "Cimicifuga Racemosa," known as "Hillside Black Beauty.'"

The second event is a special evening program,"La Noche de las Flores," for the Valley's Spanish-speaking community from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, March 12, with tours in Spanish of the conservatory.

The bulb show features a spectacular array of forced bulbs which ordinarily bloom at different times throughout the spring. Visitors to the bulb show have the rare opportunity to see crocus, hyacinths, narcissi, irises, lilies, tulips and other bulbs bloom simultaneously and to catch an early glimpse of spring.

All events are open to the public at no charge and are wheelchair accessible. During the show, parking will be available on College Lane. The Lyman Conservatory is open daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information on any of these events, call (413)585-2740.