Winter seems to last forever. By March, cabin fever has often set in, at least in my household. For those lucky enough to live in Kingston, Ontario, the City of Kingston greenhouse opens its doors to the public.
Visiting the greenhouse is a burst of spring during the doldrums of winter. Colours and scents abound, and every amateur (or professional) photographer makes sure to visit with their camera. Myself included!
Orchids are such beautiful, delicate flowers. Every year I’m astounded by the abundance of different colours and styles of orchids on display in the City of Kingston greenhouse.
Spring bulbs are continuously in bloom in the oasis of the greenhouse. I’m not quite sure if they force the bulbs to bloom strictly for the visitors to the Kingston greenhouse, of if they actually use them elsewhere in the city. Either way, the sight of daffodils and tulips are far as the eye can see truly rejuvenates my gardener’s heart.
I don’t know about you, but I am endlessly fascinated by the carnivorous plants. The above photo is a pitcher plant. The bugs walk or fly inside looking for nectar and drown in the pitcher of the plant. The walls of the neck are very slippery and once an insect gets past the lip it can’t climb back out. The nutrients are then absorbed by the plant’s walls and supplement its nutrition. This allows the plants to grow in sandy and poor soil, or in the canopy of the rainforests. Fascinating, right?
The open house happens for a month of Sunday’s from late February into March. This year it’s open until March 12th. I make it a rule to go every year, at least for the oxygenated air the plants provide. It’s an excellent place to practice photography. I plan to upload some more photos on my photo album page – I took quite a few!
If you live in the city (or close by) I’d strongly urge you visit the City’s greenhouse at 111 Norman Roger’s Drive. And if you do go, leave me a message letting me know what you thought! And as always – take time to stop and smell the “roses”!
~Jess
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