On Sunday my friend, Susan and I returned to the Planting Fields Arboretum for another day of sketching. It had snowed lightly (again) on Long Island so we needed an indoor location. And the warmth of the greenhouse there was too good to pass up.
The arboretum has a main room to the greenhouse and then several smaller rooms that branch out off the main area. This room was filled with lots of bromeliads and tropical plants. I am not knowledgeable about the names of the plants. They are clustered so close together it is difficult to sketch them and differentiate the leaves of one from another. You may notice a stamp in the lower right corner...more on that in a minute.
I then headed into the main building. In honor of Spring the room was decorated with many different flowers like daffodils, tulips, and hydrangeas. They were odd colors to find among the other tropical plants and the arrangements were a little contrived, but I didn't mind. They looked pretty along the steps coming down from the entrance.
While I was painting a woman was there with a young boy. They were looking for a stamp location in the room. Apparently there is a stamping section in each room of this greenhouse for kids. The kids receive a pamphlet about the plants in the different rooms and then get to hunt for the stamp for that room and use it in their booklet. I've been there many times and never knew about the stamps. I did go back and find a bromeliad stamp to go with the first painting. There was a hibiscus stamp for the main room, but I wasn't impressed with that one and didn't have any room for it on my sketch anyway. lol
After lunch we headed over to the camellia house across the arboretum. They have a wonderful collection of camellias that grow in the greenhouse and bloom starting in February. They were well past their peak, but I found a spot to sketch a few with the stone fountain behind them.
Don't forget...tomorrow IFJM starts. I will make sure to provide a link so you can visit there after you visit here tomorrow.
After lunch we headed over to the camellia house across the arboretum. They have a wonderful collection of camellias that grow in the greenhouse and bloom starting in February. They were well past their peak, but I found a spot to sketch a few with the stone fountain behind them.
Don't forget...tomorrow IFJM starts. I will make sure to provide a link so you can visit there after you visit here tomorrow.
I LOVE all the color in these! Looks like spring, even if it didn't feel like it. We had a hailstorm, thunder and lightning here today, so March is going out like a lion! ;-)
ReplyDeleteWhat an exquisite group of paintings from this location, Joan! The colors, the natural flow, the beauty...just gorgeous work!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great group of paintings. Makes me feel like Spring is really here.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tina. Did you sketch the storm?
ReplyDeleteSherry, thanks so much. It is such a fun place to sketch.
Carol, thanks. I'm not quite sure when it is scheduled to arrive here. lol