The Conservatory of Como Park

 The E family also visited Como Park during our stay in Minneapolis. We spent time in the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory, exploring the many different areas and gardens.

On Sunday, November 7, 1915, Como Park Conservatory opened. For the first time, St. Paul’s annual exhibition of chrysanthemums was viewed in one location while Snyder’s Orchestra played for the visitors. The Holiday Flower Show and Spring Flower Show traditions began in 1925. In 1937, the Holiday Flower included a faux pipe organ installed in the Sunken Garden. 

The Marjorie McNeely Conservatory has two acres under glass with a number of different wings dedicated to a variety of plant life including bonsai trees, ferns, orchids and seasonal flowers. The Marjorie McNeely Conservatory also features many outdoor gardens. ~ Como Park Zoo and Conservatory

Our first visit was to the Tropical Encounters exhibit featuring plants and animals from Central and South America rainforests. This exhibit opened in November 2006.

Chloe, the sloth

part of her face

(photo by McBe)

flowers in the Sunken Garden addition

fountain in the Sunken Garden

also in the Sunken Garden room where flower shows happen

from the Orchid House or maybe in the North Garden

I think, also from the Orchid House

from the Fern Room

The Fern Room and Orchid House were opened in 2005.

fountain in the Fern Room

cacao beans

The North Garden housed plants and trees called economic plants. I considered the North Garden a display of spices. We saw a vanilla tree and a cinnamon tree and many other tropical grown spices.

the color caught my eye

interesting flowers

McBe wanted to see the Bonsai exhibit

We learned almost any thick stemmed plant could become a bonsai. It is the container or planter that make it a bonsai. Bonsai need shallow containers and careful pruning to become works of art.

We also visited the Charlotte Partridge Ordway Japanese Garden and watched the koi.