Flowers make a triumphant return to Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens in Oakland for the "Spring Show" that runs through April 13.

One of the stipulations of the nine-month-long Dale Chihuly glass exhibit that ended Feb. 24 was that only foliage plants be used around his sculptures so as not to detract from the artwork. While designing with foliage and texture was an interesting challenge, everybody missed having blossoms.

"We were so excited to have flowers back," says show designer Michele Frey McCann. "We wanted lots of color and lots of ornaments."

From the first step into the Palm Court, where white and pink flowers are highlighted, visitors will be hard-pressed not to be cheered up by the bright colors that Ms. McCann has splashed throughout the historic glass house.

The Serpentine Room is filled with chess figures surrounded by oranges, blues, reds and yellows. The lavish display of tulips, hyacinths, pansies, snapdragons and delphiniums prove a feast for the eye and a portent of the rest of the show.

Ms. McCann says that two tulips used in the display -- 'Princess Irene,' a burnished orange, and 'Couleur Cardinal,' a vibrant red --will do well in home gardens. (Except deer will still eat them.)

She has also used lots of stately delphiniums and rocket series snapdragons, making good use of their height, to accent the shorter flowers.

Another plant that is seen in profusion is one commonly called Poor Man's Orchid. The botanical name is Schizanthus, and they do resemble a miniature spray of orchids and are found in several of the displays.

The Fruit and Spice room, while not decked out for spring, does have one of the Chihuly pieces that the conservatory acquired.

Ms. McCann says there are no longer stipulations against displaying flowers around the piece, but for the spring show they decided to leave it surrounded with textured plants.

Another room not to be missed, although not specially planted for spring, is the Orchid room. This is the season for orchids, and the room is full of varied and fascinating blossoms putting on their own seasonal display.

Also back after Chihuly temporarily shut it down is the interactive fountain in the Victoria Room. Flanked by identical statues of Venus de Milo, the water display is a favorite with children and adults.

In the East room, Ms. McCann cleverly reused some of the silver foliage plants such as Artemisia 'Powis Castle' and 'Silver Dust' Dusty Miller that accented the Chihuly sculptures. She made the silver tones pop by placing flowers in various shades and hues of blue juxtaposed with columns topped with the sculpted heads of various deities. Artfully placed blue glazed pots, filled with more blue and silver plantings, complete the display.

Ms. McCann loves color, and that comes through clearly in this exhibit. And she's not afraid to use it in interesting ways. She has an eye for combinations that bear copying.

This year the show will have three complete change outs, using 18,000 bulbs each time. Many of the bulbs that are removed, once they peak, will be sold at the bulb sale. Tulip bulbs, however, are not resold.

Ms. McCann, who is already working on the spring show for next season, has nailed this design. In fact, she says it's one of her personal favorites.

Liberated from the shackles of foliage, she has brightened up this spring season with swaths of spectacular flowers.