Winter Garden

I have never been to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden until today!  And what better time to visit an outdoor plants exhibit than February?

Next door to the Brooklyn Museum, in my new favourite neighborhood PARK SLOPE (I think), the botanic garden must surely be a sight to see in the spring.  But it had a quiet dignity in the winter…from the deserted rose garden

to the leafless trees in the still water

I particularly loved the Japanese Garden.

I adored the torii in the water

the koi fish underneath us – some of them longer than one foot!

And the winding paths, with bridges over the water in all shapes, sizes and styles.

Tucked away amid some trees and guarded by statues of dogs was this Shinto shrine to INARI (their emphasis).  It was such a calming and beautiful space.  I can’t wait to visit it again.

But seeing as how it IS February, the best part of the visit took place in the heated greenhouses.

They were so hot, the steam fogged up my camera!  It was like a sweet, fresh sauna.  This one held aquatic plants:

This one, the temperate climate room, had all kinds of herbs and sandalwood and the sweetest-smelling olive tree.  This was the most sensual room in the exhibit!

The tropical room was a hot and heady, but richly colourful, experience.

And the desert room had the most goofy-looking plants in it.

This one looked like a stunted palm tree.  “Fun Sized,” if you will.

I am already planning a trip back to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.  I hate to admit, but I wasn’t even aware of its existence until just recently, and now I can’t wait to see the whole place in bloom in a few short months!