It's a Jungle in There!

Go ahead, take off that parka - you're surrounded by more than 1,000 varieties of exotic plants glistening with a tropical humidity that belies the date on your calendar. Short of a Caribbean cruise, the Margaret C. Ferguson Greenhouses at Wellesley College are the best pick-me-up around for frozen New Englanders. Bring a sketchbook and a folding chair, or hunt for the lone bench secreted amid one of the lushest spots in the greenhouses and read a book. Seldom crowded, the 15 interconnected greenhouses are free and open every day of the year from 8 am to 4 pm. Parking's nearby, so leave your coat in the car - you'll warm up when you get inside. Wellesley College is at 106 Central Street, Wellesley, and the website gives good directions through the campus. Tel: (781) 283-3094; 15 minutes from the intersection of Routes 2 & 128.