Phipps Conservatory is a great place to visit, whether you’re a nature lover or not. The stunning plants and flowers on display here, and their artistic arrangement, are sure to capture the heart and imagination of any visitor.
In 1893, Henry Phipps donated the gardens to the city of Pittsburgh as a place where local people could be educated about formal gardens, introduced to exotic plant species and entertained by the beauty of nature. The glass conservatory buildings underwent an extensive redesign in 2003, with a Tropical Forest and welcome centre being added. The main focus of this project was to make the conservatory more environmentally friendly, and innovations such as computer-controlled shades that control the entrance of light to the structure help to achieve this aim.
The main building of Phipps Conservatory is divided into 14 separate garden environments, ranging from the arid Desert Room, featuring succulents, to the coolness of the Fern Room, where Earth’s oldest plant species can be found, all the way to the hot, humid Tropical Forest Conservatory. The Sunken Garden room hosts a range of changing exhibits, making repeat visits essential.
If you head outside, you’ll find six more garden areas to enjoy. Traditional Japanese horticulture is respected in the bonsai shapes of the Japanese Courtyard, whilst reeds and water lilies are prominent in the Aquatic Garden display. Learn more about the central role plants played in our ancestors’ lives in the Medicinal Plant Garden.
None of these plants would be able to thrive without pollination, and the insects that exist alongside them are celebrated here too. One of the most spectacular events in the calendar here is the Butterfly Festival that takes place in April, when these delicate winged creatures emerge from their cocoons. For more information about this and other events and lectures, visit the Phipps Conservatory website.
Phipps Conservatory is in Schenley Park, in the Oakland district of Pittsburgh. There is some free parking available locally at times, otherwise public transport is widely available. The conservatory is open daily, except for Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. A small entry fee applies. You should allow at least a few hours to explore the gardens.
