It Happens Here: Not your average plants at Waltham's historic Lyman Estate Greenhouses
WALTHAM - The Lyman Estate Greenhouses in Waltham is a slice of heaven.
Lynn Ackerman has been managing the complex for 35 years. But this is no commercial greenhouse and these are not your average plants.
"It's the only 200-year-old greenhouse left in the country still operating and containing collections of plants that are representative of what the Lymans grew," she told WBZ-TV. "The grapes have been here since 1870 and this greenhouse we're standing in right now was built in 1804."
Wealthy Boston merchant Theodore Lyman built a series of four greenhouses, looking to Europe for design inspiration. Those details are still visible today. Rustic brick walls retain heat and original hand cranks open vents to let in cooler air.
Lynn and full-time employee Rebecca prune, fertilize, and water all the historic plants by hand every day.
"I feel like it's important work. I also feel like I'm learning and I like not having to answer emails, that's awesome. My last job was like hundreds of emails and gave me so much anxiety," Rebecca told WBZ.
Visitors can see and smell an impressive collection of exotic plants, citrus fruits and 100-year-old camellia trees.
The greenhouses are free to visit and Ackerman is sure Theodore Lyman would be delighted to see his precious plants thriving.
"I think he would be thrilled to see that things are happy and healthy and not covered in insects, so I think he's looking down on us going, 'Good job!'"
For more information, visit their website.