Bill's Aviation Log

A Chihuly chandelier hangs near the entrance.

Lynnette sitting in the impressive Palm Court.

The Sunken Garden room with the fall and Halloween theme.

Back through the Sunken Garden.

Notice the troll hanging out in the tree.

Another shot of the Desert Room.

We ventured outside on this cool, rainy day. Most of the botanical gardens was closed but there was some fall color in the area we walked through.

Our next stop was the Tropical Forest Conservatory which is the largest indoor display area of the conservatory. The room features a different region every three years, and contains man-made waterfalls, winding pathways, a fish pond, and interactive learning stations. Presently the featured reason is, you guessed it, Cuba!

Classic cars, like this 1949 Chevrolet Fleetline, still cruise Havana's streets.

Orange and red flowers.

One of the many beautiful orchids in The Orchid Room.

The room originated with a donation of 800 rare orchids in 1931 from Charles D. Armstrong, owner of the Armstrong Cork Company. The orchids were then valued at $50,000.

The orchid family, or Orchidaceae, is a diverse and widespread family of flowering plants, with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant.

Here's a pretty lavender orchid.

October 31, 2021 - Phipps Conservatory
On Sunday morning, we checked out the highly regarded -- ranked number one on TripAdvisor for things to do in Pittsburgh -- Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. You have to have bought your ticket ahead of time to get in. The gardens were founded in 1893 by steel and real-estate magnate Henry Phipps as a gift to the City of Pittsburgh. Its purpose is to educate and entertain the people of Pittsburgh with formal gardens (Roman, English, etc.) and various species of exotic plants (palm trees, succulents, bonsai, orchids, etc.). Currently, the facilities house elaborate gardens within the fourteen room conservatory itself and on the adjoining grounds. In addition to its primary flora exhibits, the sophisticated glass and metalwork of the Lord & Burnham conservatory offers an interesting example of Victorian greenhouse architecture. Phipps was an American entrepreneur known for his business relationship with Andrew Carnegie and involvement with the Carnegie Steel Company. He was also a successful real estate investor. After selling his stock in Carnegie Steel, he devoted a great deal of his time and money to philanthropic works.

A Chihuly chandelier hangs near the entrance.

Palm Court decorated with a Halloween theme. The Palm Court is the first room visitors see after entering the Conservatory through the main entrance.

Lynnette sitting in the impressive Palm Court.

Now you see why it is called Palm Court.

Then we walked into the pretty Gallery Room.



The Sunken Garden room with the fall and Halloween theme.

The beautiful Broderie Room, also known as the Parterre de Broderie which translates to "flowerbed of embroidery". The garden is modelled after the formal gardens of French chateaux during the reign of Louis XIV, and is a popular setting for wedding ceremonies and photo shoots. I can see why.



Another look at the Broderie Room.

Back through the Sunken Garden.

A look back at the Gallery Room.

Notice the troll hanging out in the tree.

Next we came to the Desert Room. This room contains plant life that thrive in a desert climate, such as cacti and other succulent plants. A glass chandelier named Desert Gold Star by Dale Chihuly can also be found in the room. Some species include the Joshua tree, saguaro, palo verde, fire barrels, cape aloe, tortoise shell plant, bushman poison bulb, African tree grape, sunrise tequila agave, and shaving brush tree.

Interesting ball-shaped cacti.

Life will find a way.

Another shot of the Desert Room.

We ventured outside on this cool, rainy day. Most of the botanical gardens was closed but there was some fall color in the area we walked through.

This is the Japanese Courtside Garden.

A pretty Bonsai tree.





The fall garden railroad exhibit in the South Conservatory.

Our next stop was the Tropical Forest Conservatory which is the largest indoor display area of the conservatory. The room features a different region every three years, and contains man-made waterfalls, winding pathways, a fish pond, and interactive learning stations. Presently the featured reason is, you guessed it, Cuba! Classic cars, like this 1949 Chevrolet Fleetline, still cruise Havana's streets.

Spying a cabana through the rainforest.

Hanging flowers.

I hear they make some pretty good cigars down in Cuba. Let's here it for the Tobaco plant!

Orange and red flowers.

One of the many beautiful orchids in The Orchid Room. The room originated with a donation of 800 rare orchids in 1931 from Charles D. Armstrong, owner of the Armstrong Cork Company. The orchids were then valued at $50,000.

The orchid family, or Orchidaceae, is a diverse and widespread family of flowering plants, with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Here's a pretty lavender orchid.

The Orchidaceae have about 28,000 currently accepted species, distributed in about 763 genera.

The number of orchid species is nearly equal to the number of bony fishes, more than twice the number of bird species, and about four times the number of mammal species.

Since the introduction of tropical species into cultivation in the 19th century, horticulturists have produced more than 100,000 hybrids and cultivars.







The Serpentine Room is named for its curved brick-walled pathway.



From the parking lot where we parked the car, we had a good view of the University of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Learning. And with that, our visit to Pittsburgh was over, and we headed home.


	Previous	Home	Next

October 31, 2021 - Phipps Conservatory