Wednesdays in NEW YORK: Conservatory Garden

Conservatory Garden is one of Central Park's best kept secrets. Its entrance on Fifth Avenue, in the Park's upper reaches and north of Museum Mile, guarantees the typical visitor coming up from midtown won't just stumble on the place. Unless you live in the neighborhoods nearby, you have to go there on purpose to see it.

The Garden is named for a large glass conservatory once located on the site; it was used to cultivate the early park plantings, but by 1934 was razed and the current garden laid out.

Three distinct gardens actually flow north to south within the Conservatory Garden grounds.
The North Garden is formal and French in style, with a whimsical bronze fountain at its center, surrounded by meticulously planted tulip beds. It was too early in spring to see the lovely rose pergolas in bloom this year, and the garden seemed sparse to me this time. Unfinished- or perhaps just starting to unwind.

It was a much better time to witness the crabapple trees in bloom. I purposely came early in spring, having missed them by a couple of weeks last May. This year I got out my calendar and picked several Wednesdays in April I had free. I even consulted the Bloom Schedule on the Central Park Conservancy website, to see when the blossoms would be at their peak.

The crabapple alles flank the formal Italian Central Garden, with its wide lawn and elegant fountain. They are indeed worth the trip, their exuberant blossoms creating two intimate borders between the three gardens- perfect for relaxing in the lunchtime shade, chatting with friends, or reading a good book.

The Southern Garden is English in design, maze-like in its layout and intimate in feel. It is located furthest from the two Garden entrances, a quiet place to reflect and dream. All three gardens have their special treats, but my favorite is this one. Several hedges break up the space within the garden; you can walk the garden several times, along concentric paths, slowly migrating toward the center. Where you'll actually find a "secret garden", featuring a lily pool and bronze fountain based on the storybook's two main characters.

Unfortunately my new camera's battery died, so I missed capturing the tremendous variety of plants this garden boasts. I was entralled with the incredible range of the narcissus plantings, for example- who would have thought a single type of plant could come in so many extraordinary shapes and colors. It was a wonder to see.

The southern-most woodland banks are also very special here. They harbor a variety of low-lying shady plants and the most delicate of flowers: the lovely bluebells and leucojum (or summer snowflake) I haven't seen anywhere else in Central Park.