Nearby, in the frozen weeks of Winter, there is a bright place where spring flowers give fragrance months before their outdoor cousins. More than just a floral display, this exhibit carries on a century-old garden practice, and repeats a tradition of one man's home from 70 years past.

The History

During 1895 travel to the Netherlands, Eastman Kodak founder George Eastman was impressed by the fields of flowers seen on a bicycle trip through the regions of Leiden and Haarlem. As he established his own estate in Rochester, NY in 1905, flowers were an important part of his outdoor gardens. Eastman ordered flower bulbs not only for outdoor gardens, but also many forced by his garden staff for indoor display. In the years between 1902 and 1932, large orders were placed for tulips, hyacinths and narcissus. The 1927 order was for an amazing 24,500 bulbs of 34 tulip varieties, plus 7,800 hyacinths bulbs in 14 varieties.

On the Eastman estate, large greenhouses were used to prepare the bulbs. During the winter months, pots were brought into the house through a tunnel from the workrooms, to keep fresh blooms on display each week.

In the years since Eastman's death, the estate has been maintained as both a historical site, and the International Museum of Photography. Several projects over the years have restored many of the gardens to their original plans. Although facilities such as the greenhouses are no longer on the property, a horticultural staff maintains the gardens and provides programs for the public.

The Dutch Connection - the 1995 premier

In 1994, Eastman House Landscape Curator Deirdre Cunningham took on the task of recreating the winter bulb display of 70 years past. From the historical archives, she looked at Eastman's bulb orders from 1928. The list, formerly placed with Baartman & Koning of Sassenheim, Holland, was adjusted in quantity for a two week display with 5300 tulip and 800 hyacinths. Once contacted, B&K Flowerbulbs, successors to Baartman & Koning, suggested substitute varieties for the 1928 varieties which are no longer commercially available. Each variety substitution attempted to match flower color, size and bloom time of those on the original order.

For a display on view during February 1995, bulbs were shipped to Rochester, potted and prepared by cooling. Providing a location with a stable cooling temperature was a challenge soon recognized. The solution came with the use of space at root cellars and greenhouses of the Monroe County Parks department.

Each year since the first recreation, this February display has brought a breath of spring to exhibit visitors. As with all bulb forcing, preparation takes place months in advance. I'll highlight the process used to realize the exhibit of 1999.

The Dutch Connection 1999

During the year preceeding the display, varieties and quantities of bulbs are determined by the landscape curator. It is still the practice to order the varieties used in the 1920's, and choose close substitutes. Emphasis is placed on tulips and hyacinths for the modern displays. For the February 1999 exhibit, 4500 tulip bulbs and 950 hyacinth bulbs were ordered, to fill locations on the ground floor of the house, and pots for sale to visitors.

After autumn arrival of the bulbs, volunteers and staff meet to pot the bulbs in a variety of clay and plastic pots. On October 27, 1998, over 680 pots were prepared, then placed inside a root cellar of the Monroe County Parks Department. Conditions in the root cellar are ideal to maintain a temperature of 35-43 degrees Farenheit.

Volunteers pot bulbs in Fall	Hundreds of pots begin wait in root cellar

The potted bulbs remain in the cellar for about eleven weeks, during which time rooting takes place. After the first cooling period, the pots are moved to the County greenhouses. The pots are organized into two groups, to serve the two weeks of the February display. In 1999, the first group for display beginning on February 9 left the root cellar on January 5.

Deirdre Cunningham places sprouting pots in greenhouse

Once in the greenhouse, pots remain in a temperature of 55-70F to encourage stem and bud growth.

	Pots which exhibit more rapid growth than scheduled, and form buds, are moved to a cooler room to slow them. Greenhouse and Eastman staff review the progress of the groups regularly during January to ensure timely development.
Bernadine Ticonchuk checks progress

Days before the exhibit opens, budding pots are moved from the county greenhouse to the Eastman house. Volunteers set the pots along the walls of the walkways and the brightly-lit conservatory. Entering the house from connecting buildings, visitors soon smell the perfume of the massed hyacinths.

Despite all conditions the winter forces outdoors, the time spent walking among the bulbs is a colorful and fragrant vacation. In memory of Eastman's love of orchids, the Genesee Region Orchid Society displays prize specimens in the building's rooms during the exhibit. Garden lectures on various topics are hosted by the George Eastman House to close out each year's display. Check our February events calendar for details on the bulb display and lecture series.

If a Rochester February has you feeling the winter blues, take an early spring break into the flower-lined rooms that George Eastman enjoyed.

Eastman House staff:

• Deirdre Cunningham, Landscape Curator
• Bernadine Ticonchuk, Groundskeeper
• Andy Joss, Garden Assistant

Special thanks to Lou Fenicchia and the Monroe County Department of Parks and Recreation.
Photo credits: George Eastman House; Barbara Puorro Galasso; Rochester Gardening.
This document (c) 1999 Duane Reid. All copyrights are reserved.

See the varieties and quantities forced for the 1999 display.
Learn more about the gardens at the George Eastman House.