Take a stroll through the Planting Fields, in person or online

Spring is the peak time for the Planting Fields Arboretum, when traditionally thousands of people visit to explore the 409 acres of greenhouses, rolling lawns, breathtakingly beautiful gardens, woodland paths and the large variety of plant collections.

The coronavirus pandemic, and directives from Gov. Andrew Cuomo to stay home, caused many people not to come to the Planting Fields, at least in March. But the arboretum, which has remained open, has now become perhaps more popular than ever, although it cannot have as many visitors at one time, in accordance with Cuomo’s order to allow for 50 percent of capacity. But with little else open and people tired of isolating indoors, what better place to go than the Planting Fields.

During some week’s the arboretum is seeing triple the number of visitors than in the past, said Gina Wouters, the Planting Field’s executive director. Twelve thousand people came from May 4-10. “That’s because right now nature is so sought after,” she said. “People really want to see it.”

For those who wish to stay home, or find the arboretum’s parking lot filled to capacity, the Planting Fields is offering an alternative — a Panorama program, which includes a variety of virtual meet-ups, where people can connect with others in real-time to enjoy music, gardening, art and exhibitions. The programs have been a big hit, often selling out.

“We’ve realized we can reach a far broader audience this way,” Wouters said. “Our biggest asset is our website.”

There is also an opportunity for children to engage in virtual activities on the website. Learning kits, videos and activities are being launched, said Rheanna Abbott, the director of education and engagement. “Some of the challenges of digital learning is flexibility,” she said. “We used to be able to take the children where we wanted on school trips. The staff facilitated programs. Now we are handing it over to the teachers, giving them guidance. And we are offering a breadth and depth of topics.”

Originally landscaped by the Olmsted Brothers, the Planting Fields was a private estate. “Olmsteds’ vision for the landscape design was in democracy and breaking class barriers,” Wouters said. “This was a private estate but it has evolved to be a place where all citizens can go. We see this as an evolution of our impact as a result of this pandemic.”

The fees at Planting Fields Arboretum have been lifted by Cuomo. The Planting Fields is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. but go early. The parking lot has been known to fill up by 11 a.m. For further information, www.plantingfields.org.