THE WINTER GARDEN
The Winter Garden showcases plants that have winter interest, such as evergreen foliage, appealing bark (e.g. Stewartia spp.), berries and cones (e.g. Ilex and Picea spp.), or striking structural forms (e.g. Thuja). In the springtime, this garden is adorned with blooms from bulbs, shrubs, trees, perennials, and seasonal displays in the spring and summer. In the summer, it is embellished with conservatory plants.
The Winter Garden can be admired from inside and out. It is enclosed on three sides by two conservatories and the Visitor’s Center, structures that also protect plants of the Winter Garden from wind and cold.
At the center of the Winter Garden is Domitian’s Pool. This feature, a visitor favorite, serves as a home to frogs and tadpoles during the spring and summer. On either end of the pool rest Castor and Pollux, two bronze fountains modeled after New England’s native Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina). The heated feature of the pool allows the fountain to run all year. Another highlight of the Winter Garden is the Ellipse. Located on the eastern side of the garden, the Ellipse is a dedicated curved garden bed designed for decorative annual blooms displayed in a unique pattern.
