Botanical Center at Roger Williams Park a year-round oasis

By Christy Nadalin
Posted 12/3/16

Chances are you have been to the Roger Williams Park Zoo—many times. But turn right instead of left, wend your way past the Carousel Village, swan boats, and stables, and you will come to one …

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Botanical Center at Roger Williams Park a year-round oasis

Posted

Chances are you have been to the Roger Williams Park Zoo—many times. But turn right instead of left, wend your way past the Carousel Village, swan boats, and stables, and you will come to one of Rhode Island's truly hidden gems. And unlike the zoo, you can appreciate the Botanical Center even if you do not have an entire afternoon to spare.

At 12,000 interior square feet, The Botanical Center is the largest public indoor display gardens in New England. The outdoor garden displays include a perennial garden, Pine & Hosta Dell, the Winter Garden (located along the main path into the Center), Wooded Hillside Garden, Overlook Terrace and the gorgeous Rose Maze, all accessible, but more impressive in the warmer months.

Indoors, however, is always in season.

The Botanical Center includes two main greenhouses: The Conservatory and the Mediterranean Room. A third greenhouse holds cacti, succulent and tropical plants, and a fourth holds a mixture of tropical plants and fruiting trees.

There are over 150 different species and cultivars of plants including 17 different types of palms. All the plants, with the exception of the large palm trees, were installed by park personnel. Many of the plants were saved from the original greenhouse displays and replanted, specifically most of the Cacti, Agave and Aloe.

Interpretive cards, offered at the entrance kiosk, provide information on plants that are at their peak each month. For November, they included Japanese Camellia, a gorgeous Bird of Paradise specimen in full bloom, Chenille Plant, a Calamondin Orange tree heavy with lime-sized fruits, False Dracaena, Blue Agave, Chinese Hibiscus, and Pygmy Date Palm, among others.

First opened in March 2007, the Roger Williams Park Botanical Center was named the "Best Rainy-Day Walk" in 2009 by Yankee Magazine.

Particularly kid-friendly exhibits also include a koi pond and an impressive display of carnivorous plants (but no, they can't feed—or touch—the very delicate plants.)

The Botanical Center is actively seeking volunteers to help with everything from planting seeds and plants, to weeding, deadheading, and pruning. Even if you don't have experience yourself, working side by side with experienced gardeners is a wonderful learning opportunity. Please contact the Office Administrator, Lesley Lambert at 401/785-9450 ext. 7250 or email RWBotanicalCenter@gmail.com for more info.

WHERE: Botanical Center at Roger Williams Park, 1000 Elmwood Ave., Providence
WHEN: Open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (last ticket sold at 3:30 p.m.)
COST: General admission (Ages 13 - 64) is $5; Children 6-12 is $2; Children under 6 are free
MORE INFO: 401/680-7250

Roger Williams Park Botanical Center

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