Indoor botanical gardens for a dose of green during a cold LI winter

It may be the middle of winter, but spring is on the horizon for those who await the rebirth of their gardens. Trade thoughts of mugs of cocoa and cozy sweaters for visions of green with a trip to these three indoor botanical gardens on Long Island, in the Bronx and Brooklyn. See what’s in bloom, learn about conservation and get inspired for your garden once spring arrives.

Planting Fields

1395 Planting Fields Rd., Oyster Bay

Planting Fields boasts the largest collection of camellias in the entire Northeast (over 200 varieties) and you can see them all during the annual Camellia Festival. Learn about the history of the flower and how the Coe family imported them from the island of Guernsey in the English Channel.

Arboretum director and horticulturist Vincent Simeone will showcase the exhibit “Camellias and the Coes” on Feb. 7 with three sessions, sharing the history and beauty of the famed flower, including the design behind the planthouse structure. The annual Camellia Festival is the weekend of Feb. 8 and 9, with two sessions each day, from 10 a.m to 1 p.m. and from 1 to 4 p.m. The event will feature live music and is free to attend with registration.

“The vibrant collection of camellias at Planting Fields is a needed break from the cold, bleak winter,” said Kayla Cheshire, communications and marketing manager for the Planting Fields Foundation. “It is the largest collection of the magnificent flower under glass in the entire Northeast, and has some plants that are over 100 years old.”

Call 516-922-9210 or visit plantingfields.org to register.

New York
Botanical Garden

2900 Southern Blvd., Bronx

Established in 1891, the 250-acre New York Botanical Garden has grown to include pop-up events for children, a lecture series and the seasonal Holiday Train Show.

Pop into the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory glasshouse, which features aquatic plants and vines, lush tropical rain forests, cactus-filled deserts and many other natural habitats. Pretend you’re somewhere warm and explore the newly designed palm collection, which highlights the ecological importance of the palm tree and its role in plant conservation.

Call 718-817-8716 or visit nybg.org for collections, exhibits and ticket prices.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden

990 Washington Ave., Brooklyn

Explore several pavilions dedicated to different plant environments, from the desert to the tropics to aquatic plants.

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Aquatic House features a stunning orchid collection with several thousand blooms of the delicate flower alongside ferns, mosses and other freshwater plants. The warm temperature pavilion is popular in the winter as it showcases plants that are native to the Mediterranean, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, eastern Asia, western coastal regions of North America and South America.

The Conservatory Gallery will also feature an exhibit on plant pollination through March 23. The Plant-Pollinator Love Story exhibit explores the relationship between plants and insects and illustrates why pollinators are vital for plants and the overall health of planet.

Call visitor’s services at 718-623-7200, or visit bbg.org for collections, exhibits and ticket prices.