Pictured above: the annual Flower show in 2019. Photo by Flannery Langton '22
By Catelyn Fitzgerald ’23
Staff Writer
The Mount Holyoke Botanic Garden is adapting to COVID-19 restrictions by substituting its annual flower show, which has been a tradition since 1971, with the March into Spring series on the garden’s Instagram page. Talcott Greenhouse is one of many campus buildings to remain closed during the spring semester, leading to the cancellation of the 2021 Flower Show and making social media an important way for students to connect with the greenhouse.
March into Spring is a three-week event that began on March 1. The event consists of daily Instagram posts featuring one of the greenhouse’s flowering plants along with information about that plant’s history. The featured plants are native to different regions across the globe, from the Canary Islands to the Himalayas. A variety of families are also represented in the series, including cacti, buttercups, bulbs and citrus plants. For Samantha Pittman ’23, the virtual show was a “reminder of everything that we’re missing because of remote learning and the pandemic.”
Pictured above: the Flower show in 2020. Photo by Flannery Langton '22
“I miss going to the annual flower show; it’s such a staple on campus for the beginning of spring. The flowers are always so beautiful and vibrant. The greenhouse does a really nice job setting it up,” Olivia Wilson ’23 said.
According to Mae Morton-Dutton ’22, certain aspects of the flower show can only be experienced in person. “While I love seeing the different blooms and colors on the [Botanic] Garden Instagram, I really miss the fragrance of the flowers and the distinct smell of spring upon entering the greenhouse. It was always such a great experience — and study break — to be absorbed in the concentrated curtain of nature that welcomes engagement through all the senses,” Morton-Dutton said.
Pictured above: the Flower show in 2020. Photo by Flannery Langton '22
Until the greenhouse can once again open its doors, the Botanic Garden staff are working hard to allow students to continue to experience the flower show through social media. Students can view and interact with the photo series by following the Botanic Garden on Instagram (@mhcbotanicgarden).