It's been quite a winter. From nor'easters to icy roads to the begrudging hold of a stubborn pandemic, the short days and long nights of winter may have some of us yearning for the heat and soft grass of summer.
There may be weeks left to go before spring shows its face, but that doesn't mean Connecticut doesn't have some tricks up her sleeves.
Throughout the state there are thriving, year-round greenhouses that grow tropical fruits, bright flowers and earthy herbs in the stark of winter.
Check out these five Connecticut greenhouses for a quick tease of summer.
Logee’s in Danielson has six greenhouses for people to explore, all with different themes including the herb house, the long house, the potting house, the fern house, the big house and the lemon tree house.
Logee’s in Danielson has six greenhouses for people to explore, all with different themes including an herb house, potting house, fern house and lemon tree house.
In these green houses, there are five-pound lemons, 150-year-old orange trees and carnivorous plants, according to Logee’s website. The store was founded over 100 years ago and is still run by the same family today.
10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday at 141 North St., Danielson
This Vernon garden and plant nursery opens for the season Feb. 14 and is spread out over 13 acres. The massive garden barn started as a roadside stand in 1980, and now includes a half-acre greenhouse and garden center. There’s also an outdoor pond surrounded by wildlife and plant species, open for strolls and bird watching.
9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily at 228 West St., Vernon
Reynolds Farms in Norwalk was founded in 1957 and, along with its retail space, provides gardening services for Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk, Westport, Wilton and Stamford, according to its website. People from all over the state are welcome visit the nursery, which is a four-season garden center.
The website touts products for every need during every season, including hay bales in the fall, firewood in the winter, yard supplies in the summer and flowering trees and shrubs for spring.
8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday at 23 Richards Ave., Norwalk
Yale’s Marsh Botanical Garden offers self-guided tours of its gardens and greenhouses. In the winter, you can find thriving tropical plants such as bananas and oranges in the garden greenhouses.
In the spring and summer, there are plenty of outdoor plants and flowers that bloom across the garden. Portions of the greenhouse are used throughout the week for Yale classes, so check the website for closures before you go.
9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday at 265 Mansfield St., New Haven
Woodland Gardens in Manchester has been in operation since 1939 and has 16 greenhouses to explore. There are occasional workshops and special events for home gardeners and the store partners with local gardening clubs, according to the website.
The store also offers gardening accessories and edible plants such as blueberries, herbs and potatoes.
8 a.m.-5 p.m. daily at 168 Woodland St., Manchester