The Bulb Show

February 21 — March 23

Daily, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Our annual Bulb Show — a celebration of beauty, renewal and the magic of nature’s rhythms — is back, and it’s free and open to all.

From Feb. 21 to approximately March 23, visit the Fitzpatrick Conservatory, open daily between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., to experience a spectacular preview of spring, a warm, enchanting escape in the depths of winter. This sensory delight features hundreds of flowering bulbs, including classic favorites like tulips, daffodils and grape hyacinths, as well as lesser-known varieties.

Eric Ruquist, BBG’s director of horticulture, calls the Bulb Show the Garden’s annual “gift to the community,” blending artistry and horticulture.

The public agrees.

“I have to say my favorite part of Berkshire Botanical Garden is the Bulb Show,” says Lily Turovsky, a horticulture student at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pa. “It feels like such a gift in the dead of winter.”

The journey to this vibrant display begins in late summer, as our horticulture team selects and orders a wide array of bulbs. In the Lexan Greenhouse, planting starts in the fall — beginning with tulips, then daffodils and finally smaller bulbs. 

The bulbs are tucked away in cool rooms in the basement of the Center House, where temperatures hover around 42°F — mimicking the natural rhythms of winter. Tulips chill for about 15 weeks, daffodils 12 and grape hyacinths 10, with staggered planting dates to guarantee continuous blooms throughout the show.

When the time is right, the bulbs are moved to the Lexan Greenhouse to “wake up.” Over the next few weeks, they green up, stretch and bloom. Before the big reveal at the Fitzpatrick, each pot is dressed with moss, pine needles or nut shells, and the display team adds creative touches like succulents, branches and stumps for visual variety and contrast.

When the show opens, the Fitzpatrick Conservatory transforms into a colorful, fragrant oasis. Thanks to the intimate setting, visitors can get up close and personal with the blooms — an immersive, “face-in-flowers” experience.

Come see it for yourself!