My aunt and I visited the Conservancy of Flowers in Golden
Gate Park a few years ago. We saw the dinosaur exhibit – complete with the
whimsical dinosaur head punching its way through the roof of the conservatory. The collection is housed in a wonderful, Victorian greenhouse structure that is painted white to provide diffused lighting for the plants.
The conservatory is devoted to subtropical plants of highlands
(cool) and lowlands (hot). The building has several distinct areas, including those
for special exhibits, potted plants, and aquatic plants, as well as
areas for plants of the highlands and lowlands.
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| Entrance to the Conservancy of Flowers in Golden Gate Park |
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| Subtropical potted plants |
The plants are well marked with informative signs, making it easy for the botany
lover to learn more about new or favorite plants.
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| Signage also provides interesting information about the plants or ethnobotany |
I was especially enamored to see plants for some of the spices we have
learned about as part of our holiday cooking series, including ginger, vanilla, and nutmeg; and the giant water lily pads that can support a small animal, or person.
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| The aquatic plants are especially appealing |
A plant sale is held every fall and spring, and the web site list the plants that are currently in bloom.
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| Orchids growing midcanapy |
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| Lotus flower |
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| Carnivorous plants |
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I recommend this conservatory for finding out more about subtropical plants. The building and the collection brings to mind the Victorian era, when everyone was mad to classify and
collect plants. The madness continues – maybe in a different way. Now we want
to learn more, to conserve what we have, and to learn all the lessons we can before
it is too late.
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