A Brief History of Bulbs to Blooms

Spring gardening seminars happen often. However, back in 1997, few programs addressed fall gardening. The Smith County Master Gardeners wanted to fill this void. Therefore, they brought in outstanding speakers for season-relevant presentations. They wanted to encourage local planting opportunities. Furthermore, they offered this program at no cost to participants. Today, the Bulbs to Blooms event continues every fall. Hundreds of people regularly attend.

Overcoming Growing Challenges

Previously, many community members believed spring bulbs required refrigeration. They also treated them as annuals. In contrast, certain bulbs thrive here for years without extra fuss.

The Master Gardeners researched these hardy varieties. Initially, they focused on daffodils and jonquils. Unfortunately, retail markets rarely sold them. Local stores only carried limited quantities.

Launching the Annual Sale of Bulbs to Blooms

To solve this problem, they launched the first Fall Bulb Sale in October 1999. It became an instant success. In fact, the inventory sold out in less than one hour.

Because of this ongoing success, organizers combined the Fall Seminar and the Bulb Sale in 2001. Now, these two features form a single event. First, the seminar subjects focus deeply on bulbs. Immediately following the presentations, attendees can buy these exact bulbs and more.

The 2026 “From Bulbs to Blooms Conference & Bulbs Sale” is rapidly approaching. Our online store opens on October 12, 2026, and the conference happens on October 24, 2026, so mark your calendars. To find out more about the event, click HERE.