For two weeks in November, as the colors fade outdoors, floral fireworks erupt inside the Lyman Conservatory during the annual Fall Chrysanthemum Show. Oversized blooms reaching 8 inches across appear atop plants 5-7 feet tall. The stunning showcase includes chrysanthemums grown in the traditional Japanese style, painstakingly trained to cascade downward and form a “waterfall of flowers” gushing down the greenhouse wall. Since the early 1900s Smith horticulture students have been trying their hands at hybridizing, experimenting with the wide assortment in color and form of mum flowers. Results are showcased and the visiting public has the opportunity to vote for their favorite.