Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Botanical Gardens - Orchid Show

When I suggested to my gf to buy Time Out to look for something to do, she suggested The Orchid Show at The Botanical Gardens and I immediately had a look of dread. Why me!?  I plotted everything from unplugging my car battery to faking a mystery ailment.  Guilty to admit, I actually had a good time.

Parking is $12 and Admission for the Orchid Show is $20 / $18 for students (general grounds admission is $6).  The Orchid Show is at the Haupt Conservatory and it is great for picture taking (you just need patience with the people with SLRs).  After the conservatory, there is plenty of room to walk around and get lost.  We walked along the Bronx River and saw a flock of ducks (who knew that there are ducks in the Bronx?). There were some other picturesque sites to see on their grounds: The Stone Mill, Hester Bridge, and the Waterfall.  The free tram tour was educational: it gave the history of how the Gardens came to be - the land was acquired from the Lorillard (tobacco) family and modeled after the Royal Gardens in London.  

Their cafe was reasonably priced and had a gourmet flair on their desserts (peanut butter ganache tarts).  You can even purchase orchids, flowers/plants, and gardening supplies from their gift shop.

The Gardens are also close to Arthur Avenue if you want to have dinner nearby (we went to Roberto's).
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