At Home With: Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
By Janice Milliner
Photography by Paul G. Wiegman

It is simply one of those special places that one might choose to go to when in search of tranquility and refreshment.

Nearly 200,000 visitors from around the world have taken repose at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, including celebrated dignitaries and passionate music performers like Bonnie Raitt and Mick Jagger. Phipps, as the locals call it, is considered to be one of Pittsburgh's most valuable and precious resources, especially by its members.

The center bed of the Palm Court is one of the firsts sights visitors see as they enter the Conservatory. The Palm Court is currently the largest room in the Conservatory and is filled with graceful palms, some of which tower to heights of 50 feet.	The sunken Garden, one of the 13 rooms in the Conservatory, filled with hundreds of colorful chrysanthemums during the annual Fall Flower Show.

Once hailed as the largest conservatory in the United States in 1893, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Schenley Park is in the midst of a growth spurt that will further distinguish the famed botanical garden’s standard of excellence. In 2003, Phipps unveiled its plans to undertake a $36.6 million dollar renovation project that included an environmentally friendly Welcome Center, Tropical Forest Conservatory, and Production Greenhouses. These state-of-the-art greenhouses, which include numerous technologies and features for optimum growing, will be a first for the horticulturalists at the gardens. Naturally, staff horticulturalists are very enthused over the collective benefits these on-site greenhouses will afford them in their studies and in the cultivation of plants and flowers planned for future exhibits. Though the greenhouses are not intended for public visitation, patrons will be given tours of the new Production Greenhouses when they open. For garden lovers, the greenhouses may also serve as classrooms for one of Phipps' ongoing horticultural programs.

The roof of the Victoria Room is reflected in the center pool. This room is filled with dark-foliage plants which reflect the style of the Victoria Era while the center pool holds an interactive fountain that visitors can control the lights and jets.

Another exciting addition is the opening of a grand new space called the Tropical Forest Conservatory. And make no mistake, “grand” it truly is! This much anticipated addition will certainly provide an amazing experience for visitors to enjoy for years to come. The brand new 12,000 sq. ft. glass addition will showcase the illuminating wonders of the plants and culture of Thailand. Patrons will find the Tropical Forest Conservatory to be a truly unique sensatory experience. The sights, smells and sounds of a Thai forest are strategically simulated through indoor waterfalls and indigenous Thai plant-life. Adventurous visitors can top their Thailand Forest experience by trekking aboard a skywalk that meanders through the indoor forest canopy. Meanwhile, those who desire a more grounded pace may find rest on teak benches subtly nestled amongst the greenery blanketed below.

Certainly Phipps’ founder, Henry Phipps, would have been pleased. Industrialist/philanthropist Henry Phipps, friend and accountant of Andrew Carnegie, likewise made his fortune in the steel and real estate markets. As a visionary, his desire for the Conservatory was to create a “thing of beauty” for locals to take pleasure in, as well as to provide a place that could be utilized as an educational resource. The original Conservatory is comprised of nine garden rooms, as well as two outdoor gardens. Famous attractions still include the dancing fountains, aquatic gardens and seasonal flower shows.

Long time patrons and newcomers alike enjoy the time-honored tradition of visiting the annual Spring Flower Show, which is especially busy on Easter Sunday. This year’s event, in celebration of the new renovations, is entitled, “In the Tropics.”

Until then, visitors may enjoy the master garden’s present show, which features the ever-popular flower, the orchid. Entitled “Orchid Fantasy,” this exhibit opened on January 14 and runs through March 12. A visit promises an onlooker a feast for the senses as orchids are greatly admired for their fragrance and beauty. A vast variety of orchids celebrated the world over reward visitors with an array of delectable fragrances, colors, sizes and shapes. If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about growing orchids, public programs are also available for instructional learning for both children and adults alike.

An artist’s rendering of the Tropical Forest offers a glimpse into the environment of this exciting new addition to Phipps.

Adult education opportunities vary in topics and are available throughout the year. For the younger garden enthusiast, summer day camps are offered yearly for children of ages 3 to 9. (The Phipps publishes a calendar of programs in their own magazine simply entitled, “Phipps,” as well as on their Web site at www.phipps.conservatory.org.)

Super Sundays provide an excellent family opportunity to gather practical information from educational lectures. And visitors are invited to come hungry! Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens promotes an eco-friendly platform on every level, and Café Phipps is no exception. Located just to the right of the Welcome Center, Café Phipps is alive with color! The restaurant serves a wonderful menu supported by local farmers. A wide variety of fresh dishes are presented daily and are even served on recyclable plastics made of a corn byproduct.

The excitement over Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is widespread and contagious. The organization itself is made up of trustees, staff, volunteer and contributing members all dedicated to upholding and promoting a celebrated Pittsburgh lifestyle tradition. Nearing the completion of its latest expansion, Phipps members are very excited over yet another resurgence of its popularity. Yet for all of its growth, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens remains, as it has always been “one of those special places that one might seek to go to in search of tranquility and refreshment.” The masterful gardens somehow retain a celebrated simplicity even in the midst of world-renowned grandeur. To those of us who are locals, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens resonates with all the familiarity of being homegrown, as if it were a relative who grew to fame and fortune; Yet to those of us here in Pittsburgh, it remains simply cherished as “Phipps.”