I’m a big fan of New England’s seasons. Well, three of them, anyways. The brevity of our summer makes me appreciate it in a way that I know I wouldn’t if it dragged on for months. The explosion of colors in autumn is to die for. And spring, ah spring! My favorite, by far. I love the bright green of new foliage, and the buds poking up through the ground. I think I appreciate the buds, with the promise of an eclectic array of both showy and subtle blossoms, as much as the actual flowers.
But then there’s winter. I know, I know. It’s New England. Cold and snow are to be expected. I should enjoy it’s unique beauty, circle of life, blah, blah, blah. And I do enjoy it at first. There’s nothing like that first snowfall, so pristine, blanketing the world. But my appreciation of that beauty lasts for all of about 15 minutes. After that, I’m toughing it out until I can put away the snow shovel and the snow boots and the gloves.
This hasn’t been a horrible winter, but still, I’m done with it. I’ve been cold non-stop for four months now. The white and gray landscape out my windows grew stale weeks ago. I am SO ready for Spring! But here it is, mid-February, which means we’ve still got a ways to go.
And so, to pass the time, I visited the Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston, MA last week. They have a “Winter in Bloom” exhibition going on right now, featuring floral designs by several of the talented florists in the area. As winter wears on, this was a delightful opportunity to fuel my botanical fantasies. Despite the snow on the ground outside, I was reminded that spring will come, flowers will bloom, one day I’ll once again be warm!
I expected Tower Hill to be a predominantly outdoor attraction, and I wasn’t wrong about that. I’m sure that in the spring, summer and fall, I could easily spend a full day roaming the grounds. But even in the dead of winter, there was a lot to see. As I walked through the door, I was greeted by a bouquet of flowers that surprisingly featured fresh produce. Seriously, carrots and turnips, mixed in with the flowers. This whimsical display got me to thinking about how we draw lines between things that are alike; A carrot is a plant just like a lily, and yet we choose to put the lily in a floral bouquet and not the carrot (usually). It reminds me of a quote:
“Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.”
― Miles Kington
Right? While carrots certainly have their undeniable attraction, they’re not what you’d call pretty. I don’t think anyone has ever stopped to smell the carrots. This quirky display reminded me to appreciate all that grows, not just the flowers.
A collection of bromeliads and daffodils were offered for sale in the lobby, and it took some self control to refrain from scooping them all up. I wandered down the grand hallway, passing the dining room with it’s spectacular views of Wachusett Mountain. Several more floral arrangements were on display here. I recognized lilies, roses, carnations, and many other familiar faces, along with dozens that I couldn’t begin to name. Some bouquets were so elegant that they’d look right at home in the most formal wedding. Others were warm and down to earth, featuring pine cones or birch branches. All were beautiful and I lingered at each. Glancing out the windows, a row of shrubs was alive with bright pink and yellow branches, despite the lack of foliage. Along the walls, a flourishing collection of air plants seem to cling to the wall. It’s only a hallway, but I spent an hour meandering down it’s length.
Next, I entered the green oasis called the “Limonaia”. This italian word translates to “Lemonary” in English, which refers to a room where lemon trees are housed when the weather is cold. The room is about the size of a high school gymnasium, and is filled from end to end with an array of greenery. I had no idea there were so many varieties of bromeliads. The majority of the plants are not currently flowering, a fact that served to spotlight those that are. The showy camellias and begonias are a delight, and wandering slowly through the room allowed me to pick out the less showy but no less beautiful tiny blossoms on so many of the plants. The collection of citrus trees are enchanting, with tiny oranges and lemon blossoms. I had to resist the urge to pick one of those tiny treats! Throughout the room, benches and chairs are tucked into niches, inviting guests to sit and drink in the serene atmosphere.
At the other end of the hallway, I came to the Orangerie, a twin of the Limonaia. Like it’s lemony counterpart, this room is also filled with a spectacular collection of plants, including orange, lemon and kumquat trees. This room has a more mediterranean feel, though, with several statues, brick arch ways, and a pair of babbling fountains. I felt like I’d just stepped into a quiet corner of an Italian village! Like the Limonaia, there are several spots that invite the visitor to sit for a few minutes and take in the beauty. Surprisingly, this room is quite cool, despite it’s tropical look. Evidently the citrus trees like it that way in the winter.
On my way out, I made a quick stop at the gift shop. Well, it was supposed to be a quick stop. This intriguing shop kept me for at least a half hour. After looking over the fairy garden decor, the earthy jewelry, the honey and beeswax products, and the unique collection of planters, I decided to bring home an air plant. There were five or six varieties to choose from, and if I had more confidence in my green-ish thumb, I’d have brought home one of each. For now, I decided to get my feet wet with just one, encouraged by the simple instruction sheet that I was provided by the cashier.
As I left the building, I was tempted to walk around the snow covered grounds despite the cold, but I decided to hold off until spring on that. This was a lovely visit to Tower Hill, a welcome relief from the drab colors I’m seeing outside my windows right now. I left feeling refreshed and ready to face a few more cold weeks, and dreaming of my springtime gardens.
© Kimberlee Martin, 2017. All rights reserved.
Photo Credit: all photos © Kimberlee Martin, 2017. All rights reserved.
References:
"Limonaia in English." Glosbe. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Feb. 2017. <https://glosbe.com/it/en/limonaia>.
"Lemonary." Lemonary - Wiktionary. N.p., 27 Apr. 2016. Web. 05 Feb. 2017. <https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/lemonary>.
"Tower Hill Botanic Garden." Tower Hill Botanic Garden. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Feb. 2017. <http://www.towerhillbg.org/>.
"A Quote by Miles Kington." Goodreads. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2017. <http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/184158-knowledge-is-knowing-that-a-tomato-is-a-fruit-wisdom>.