The Berkshire Botanical Garden’s Annual Bulb Show returns to the Fitzpatrick Greenhouse now through March 23, from 9 – 4. See an evolving collection of traditional New England favorites such as narcissus, tulips and grape hyacinths together with hardy varieties new to the show: a striking, dark purple tulip with fringed petals named ‘Vincent Van Gogh’; a diminutive, pink-orange tulip called ‘Salmon Gem’; a trio of new daffodils; and two exquisite dwarf irises, ‘Harmony’ and ‘Pauline,’ with flowers of brilliant blue and deep purple, respectively. But the star of the show might just be the enchanting Fritillaria meleagris or Guinea Hen Flower in a mix of colors. Its nodding, bell-shaped flowers vary from reddish purple checkered to black, to faintly checkered green, to pure white. Unsurprisingly, preparing the Bulb Show — creating the magic that hundreds of visitors enjoy during the Bulb Show’s few short weeks in late winter — is labor- and time-intensive. The preparation includes choosing and ordering seeds, sterilizing containers and making a written record of each bulb’s cold storage requirements, which can vary from seven to nine weeks for dwarf irises to 16-18 weeks for tulips, with most other bulbs falling somewhere between these extremes.Free and open to the public. For more information visit https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/
