Under Glass at The Planting Fields Arboretum Winter 2011

 What do you do if you are lucky enough to live near the Planting Fields Arboretum, Oyster Bay, Long Island, NY?  You take a trip with a camera to see the plants under glass in February,  There is snow and ice outside and the temperatures are below freezing, but inside the greenhouses there are fabulous collections of specimen Orchids, Camellias, Cactus, Begonias, Ferns, and tropicals in full bloom.

 Spanish Moss hangs from tropical trees as in a dream.

 

Inside the Camillia House the original Camillia plants, collected by Mr. Coe are blooming.

 According to the pamphlet at the main door," the Camillia House is the home of the largest collection of its kind under glass in North America."

 The original plants were purchased by Mr. Coe in 1916.

The end wall is covered with Creeping Fig.

The  Camillia collection begins to flower in late December, peaking the third week in February, and finishes up during March and into April.

 Volunteer plants thrive.

 It seems a shame that the lovely blooms fall to the ground under the Camillia trees, while they still look so alive.

 Some specimen plants have flowers of varied colors on the same stem!

Clivias bloom against the outside walls.

What a wonderful Winter's day at the Planting Fields Arboretum New York State Historic Park.  Click on photographs to enlarge.