Well, summer went with a bang and now we have storms. Hooray! Ok, I’m hoping for no flooding or wind damage, but I love the storms. I’m not sure the pointy eared people are all that thrilled, but as long as the air conditioner isn’t on, they’re happy.
Anyhow, earlier in the week we made a rare trip to the city to see the succulent exhibit at the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park. Before we get to that however, it’s time for the stars of this show to make their appearance.
Tito lounging in a sunbeamMiss JennyTitanescuMiss Pepi
Here is miss Pepi doing her pirate imitation again.
The almost constant game of slappy paws. Arrrrggghhhh! Arrrrgggghhhhh!
Last Week I posted about a poisonous plant exhibit at the Conservatory of Flowers. Of course, we made a point of visiting the rest of the Conservatory. I hope you enjoy these photos as well.
A couple of weeks ago, we went back to the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park to see a special exhibit running through October 30, 2011 called Wicked Plants: Botanical Rogues & Assassins.
Paralysis, strangulation, derangement – these are just a few of the misdeeds of the plant kingdom as chronicled by award-winning author Amy Stewart in her 2009 New York Times Bestseller, Wicked Plants: The Weed that Killed Lincoln’s Mother & Other Botanical Atrocities. And now, something wicked this way comes. It’s mayhem under glass, as the Conservatory of Flowers transforms its Special Exhibits Gallery into an eerie Victorian garden full of Mother Nature’s most appalling creations. Building on the fascinating plant portraits in Stewart’s book, the Conservatory introduces visitors to living examples of dozens of infamous plants that have left their mark on history and claimed many an unfortunate victim, like the castor bean, implicated in the 1978 “umbrella murder” of communist defector BBC journalist Georgi Markov, and the strychnine tree, nineteenth-century serial killer Dr. Thomas Neill Cream’s poison of choice for troublesome spouses and lovers. It’s a who’s who of botanical rogues and assassins. Meet them if you dare
It was a good exhibit and we hope to go back before it ends. Here are some of the photos we took. I have labeled the plants I’m familiar with. There were some that I didn’t catch. I hope you enjoy them.
In recent months we have made several trips to the San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park, at different times of day, in sunny and rainy weather, you name it. This, to observe blooms in different stages and light conditions.
By contrast to the Conservatory, the Strybing arboretum, also in Golden Gate Park, offers open space, leisurely walks and a few exotic species. I originally expected the Conservatory to be a claustrophobic experience, and to be fair, it should be: passages are narrow, the various sections of the building are compartmentalized by double doors with a plaque reminding visitors to shut them.
As well, each section has its carefully calibrated climate control, with a fairly high level of humidity. Virtually every species in the Conservatory is exotic, and striking in more than just appearance.
On our most recent visit, about a week ago, the blooming orchids brought back a singular feeling and thoughts I remember experiencing only once.
I’ve commented before on visiting a Sphynx cattery and the feeling of inquisitive, playful intelligence I felt looking into the cats’ huge eyes.
Kitsune
Photos do not reveal the elegance of the Sphynx in motion, or their seeming lack of fear.
And the more you know about them, the more orchids fascinate the casual observer into similar a form of reverence.
Consider a species estimated to be 120 million years old, striving in wildly different environments on all continents save Antartica, long after innumerable other species of flora and fauna alike disappeared.
A species having developed pollination methods as varied as stealth, smell and mimicry: the pattern on some orchids’ petals looks attractive to flying insects, the slippery tube-like pouch of others lures insects which fall into the opening, collecting pollen as they brush their way past to the exit…
So far, orchids have even survived man’s exploitation, which led to most species of the plant to be on endangered lists. Today, they are specifically cultivated for commercial ends. While it can seem odd to think of intelligence in such a context, I think there are lessons to draw about adaptability and coping with change, not just from orchids, of course, but from Sphynxes as well. Not to mention the enjoyment of their complex aesthetics.
Both orchids and Sphynxes are very much dependent on humans to provide the environment necessary for their survival and continued development, yet I suspect the nature of this relationship is symbiotic rather than… Parasitic.
This time, in the spirit of the holidays, we’re visiting a different section of the Conservatory. To celebrate 140 years of Golden Gate Park, the Conservatory is hosting a Garden Railway Exhibit. The exhibit will run through March 13, 2011 and there is no extra charge. Even Thomas the Tank Engine puts in an appearance.
Previously, I posted Conservatory of Flowers in San Francisco’sGolden Gate Park: Highland Tropics. You can find all the previous Conservatory posts here. This time we have made our way to the last section, the Aquatic Plant Gallery.
Anyone who comes to San Francisco should try to find the time to visit the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park. Opened to the public 1879, it is the oldest building in the park. It houses around 1700 plant species. The orchid collection is said to be one of the best.
Pitcher Plant
The Conservatory of Flowers is located at 100 John F. Kennedy Drive. It is accessible for motorized and non motorized wheelchairs. Strollers are not permitted inside, but there is a place to park them while you explore. As it is a greenhouse, it will be quite warm and humid inside. As it can be rather cold outside, be sure to wear removable layers. It is open Tuesday thru Sunday from 10am to 4:30pm. The cost is $7 for adults, $5 for ages 12-17, seniors 65 & over, and college students with school ID. $2 for children 5 – 11 and free for children 4 and under. Local residents receive a discount with proof of residency.
Note: On Sundays, John F. Kennedy Drive is closed to vehicular traffic. For those who don’t mind walking, you can just park on Martin Luther King Drive and walk to the Conservatory.
Today we’re visiting the Aquatic Plant Gallery. This section features lily ponds, carnivorous pitcher plants, and a whole host of bromeliads. I must admit that this was my favorite section, by far. I don’t know the names of a lot of the plants and flowers I’m posting, so if you know, feel free to comment and I’ll update accordingly.
Anyone who comes to San Francisco should try and find the time to visit the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park. Opened to the public in 1879, it is the oldest building in the park. It houses around 1700 plant species. The orchid collection is said to be one of the best.
This time we’re going to visit the Potted Plants Gallery.
Hibiscus
The Conservatory of Flowers is located at 100 John F. Kennedy Drive. It is accessible for motorized and non motorized wheelchairs. Strollers are not permitted inside, but there is a place to park them while you explore. As it is a greenhouse, it will be quite warm and humid inside. As it can be rather cold outside, be sure to wear removable layers. It is open Tuesday thru Sunday from 10am to 4:30pm. The cost is $7 for adults, $5 for ages 12-17, seniors 65 & over, and college students with school ID. $2 for children 5 – 11 and free for children 4 and under. Local residents receive a discount with proof of residency.
Note: On Sundays, John F. Kennedy Drive is closed to vehicular traffic. For those who don’t mind walking, you can just park on Martin Luther King Drive and walk to the Conservatory.
Amazingly, the Conservatory barely escaped disaster more than once. It had to have the dome restored after an 1883 boiler explosion and fire. It also managed to survive the 1906 Earthquake. In 1933 Structural instability caused the Park Commission to close it. The Great Depression meant a lack of funds preventing it from reopening until 1946.
The Potted Plants Gallery is home to hibiscus, cymbidium orchids, bromeliads, begonias, and much more. When I know the name of a plant, the pictures will be labeled. Not everything had a marker, so I was unsure of a few. Should anyone know the name of any of these unnamed plants, feel free to comment. I’ll update if necessary.
I hope you enjoyed some of these. I also hope they give you the urge to visit our fine city and see what it has to offer. I wasn’t born and raised here, however, I can understand the song “I Left My Heart In San Francisco”. 🙂
On Sunday, Lastech and I went adventuring in the city. San Francisco has many beautiful places and sometimes we like to be tourists for a day. We had never been to the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park, so we decided it was time. Now we wonder what took us so long. The day was sunny and the visit was beautiful. I took so many pictures that they will come in installments.
Anyone who comes to San Francisco should try to find the time to visit the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park. Opened to the public 1879, it is the oldest building in the park. It houses around 1700 plant species. The orchid collection is said to be one of the best.
Conservatory of Flowers
The Conservatory of Flowers is located at 100 John F. Kennedy Drive. It is accessible for motorized and non motorized wheelchairs. Strollers are not permitted inside, but there is a place to park them while you explore. As it is a greenhouse, it will be quite warm and humid inside. As it can be rather cold outside, be sure to wear removable layers. It is open Tuesday thru Sunday from 10am to 4:30pm. The cost is $7 for adults, $5 for ages 12-17, seniors 65 & over, and college students with school ID. $2 for children 5 – 11 and free for children 4 and under. Local residents receive a discount with proof of residency.
Note: On Sundays, John F. Kennedy Drive is closed to vehicular traffic. For those who don’t mind walking, you can just park on Martin Luther King Drive and walk to the Conservatory.
As I noted earlier, the Conservatory of Flowers was opened to the public in 1879. The architecture is said to have been inspired by London’s Kew Gardens. It is of wood and glass construction. The original wood used in construction was coastal redwood.
Once at the Conservatory you enter via the vestibule to the 60 foot high pavilion. This part of the Conservatory houses the Lowland Tropics plants. These are plants that grow in the low-lying tropical forests found in Mexico, Brazil, and Indonesia at altitudes less than 3,000 feet.
This area houses plants such as coffee, bananas, cacao, cycads, and a 100 year old imperial philodendron.
I hope you enjoy the following pictures and with luck, they will inspire you to visit the Conservatory of Flowers one day.
