Smith to Host Annual Chrysanthemum Show

Majestic plants in full bloom, splatters of colors and a wave of beckoning blossoms are trademark images of Smith College’s annual chrysanthemum show, on view this year from Saturday, November 3, through Sunday, Nov.ember 18.

The event, which is free, open to the public and wheelchair accessible, is on view daily, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., in the Lyman Conservatory, College Lane. A donation of $2 is suggested. Special evening hours are 6–8 p.m. Fridays, Nov. 9 and 16. Parking is available on College Lane during the exhibit.

To kick off this year’s show, Arthur Haines, a renowned research botanist with the New England Wild Flower Society, will give a free public lecture at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 2, in the Carroll Room, Campus Center. He’ll discuss his book, “Flora Novae Angliae,” the first updated manual on the native and naturalized plants of New England in decades. Following the talk will be a reception, book-signing and preview of the chrysanthemum show in the illuminated Lyman Conservatory.

A popular college and community tradition since the early 1900s, the chrysanthemum show features the hybridizing experiments of Smith students in the previous year’s horticulture class. A number of plants are grown to produce one large flower atop a single tall stem, while others are painstakingly trained to form “waterfalls of flowers” that cascade down the sides of the greenhouse. Visitors are encouraged to vote for their favorite plants.

Concurrently, a new exhibition, “Botanical Printing: Artful Collaborations on Paper and Cloth,” by Leonore Alaniz, will be on view in the Lyman Conservatory’s Church Exhibition Gallery from Oct. 20 through Feb. 10. Using a technique whereby she inks plant specimens and prints with them on a variety of media, Alaniz’s work focuses on the intricate patterns and brilliant foliage of plants. A reception will take place 6-8 p.m., Friday, Nov. 9, at which time the chrysanthemum show will also be open for viewing.

On Saturday, Nov. 10, Alaniz will lead a workshop from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Participants will learn the history of the botanical printing technique as well as how to make their own prints. The cost is $60 for non-members and $50 for members and Smith students; all materials are included in the fee. Space is limited, so pre-registration is required.

For more information on the chrysanthemum show or related events, call (413) 585-2740 or visit the Smith College Botanic Garden website.