Wednesday, April 21, 2021

Garfield Park Conservatory - Indianapolis

Every winter, usually in February right after Valentine's Day, I go and spend a week or two with the kids and grandkids.  This winter it was bitterly cold, our septic system froze, and then the kids got a snowstorm which delayed my trip by another day.  The weather was pretty cold and snowy most of the week I was in Indianapolis so we just hung around the house a lot.  This was fine with me as my main reason in going there was to spend time with the grand kids.  But we did do a couple of fun things, one of which was a visit to the Indianapolis' conservatory.  I LOVE to go to conservatories in the middle of winter!  I love walking in and feeling the warmth and sunshine, and seeing all the beautiful plant life.  It is something I try to do every single winter.


The conservatory is 10,000 square feet and is home to hundreds of tropical plants from throughout the world.  I loved these tall banana tree plants gracing each side of the entrance to the conservatory.


My daughter is an avid houseplant collector and she enjoyed seeing and identifying all of her houseplants at the conservatory.


We all marveled at all the color in the dead of winter, and how even though the conservatory consisted of mostly green plants, there was color everywhere!


There were so many beautiful green plants that bloomed and provided the brightest, prettiest flowers!


Of course the orchids were the star of the conservatory, as they are in almost every conservatory I have ever visited.


There are several ponds inside the conservatory and to my grandchildren's delight, each one was stocked with beautiful koi.



I love the sharp fronds of this Palm leaf.


Color in the conservatory isn't just provided with flowers, but with colorful foliage of many of the plants.


A beautiful, bright red Hibiscus.


How often do you see a neon bright pink plant like this?


This is a "Powder Puff Tree"...very appropriately named in my opinion.


The purple flowers of this chartreuse green plant remind me of spiders.


Potted orchids with a background of a tall fern.


I love the interesting flower of this plant.


The long cascades of sphagnum moss provided a beautiful contrast to the other plants.


This pathway of bamboo amazed me.  Knowing the root system of this plant, I was surprised to see it planted indoors and wondered how it was not lifting up the bricks?


At the far end of the conservatory is the largest, and most beautiful pond and fountain.  I liked how they had chairs in front of it so you could comfortably sit and enjoy it for a few moments.



Of course, the grandkids were mostly interested in the Koi again! 😀


Look at this beautiful flower.  Isn't it amazing?  The color and detail are just so striking.  It's hard not to believe in a Creator when you see such incredible magnificence like this.


The colorful plant below the flowering shrub really amazed my daughter Ashley and I, because we've both tried this as a houseplant and had difficulty with it.  We could not believe how large this plant could get.


Love these statues by another pond.  I like how they are looking into the water.  So sweet.


Such a pretty water plant.  The chartreuse color is amazing!


This beautiful purple bloom was on a shrub.


This plant is called "Pitcher Plant"....another very aptly named plant!


Gorgeous leaves of a banana tree.


Colorful blooms and interesting foliage were abundant in the conservatory. 


Doesn't this tree have an interesting shape?


This flowering shrub reminded me of the flower one would see on a Vibernum bush, although I've never see one so orange before.


Another one of God's masterpieces.


A Calla Lily in front of that same houseplant (Crotan) that my daughter and I both found difficult to grow.  Just look at the size of it!  Oh my, how I would love to get a Crotan plant this size.  It would look fabulous in my sunroom.


We could not believe the size of this leaf, so we had Alethea put her on it for comparison.  So amazing and beautiful, isn't it?


Unfortunately, masks were required to tour the conservatory.  You also had to make an appointment to enter and traffic in the conservatory was one way only.   Admission is only $2.00 per person, and children under two are free.  The park is located in Garfield Park in Indianapolis.  They also have a sunken garden outside the conservatory, but obviously we couldn't see it in the winter.  Park hours are Monday - Saturday 10 - 5 and Sundays 1 - 5.



Have A Great Day!  Amy

Linking Up with these Fabulous Blogs HERE!


29 comments:

  1. It certainly is! Thanks for stopping by.

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  2. Beautiful! I is a perfect place to visit on a cold day. Our botanical gardens have an area like this that is perfect on cold or really hot days.
    www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com

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    1. It sure was! I find conservatories unbearable in the summer though.

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  3. What a perfect place to visit in winter! Love all the pretty colors and gorgeous plants. The pitcher plant looks quite interesting, definitely not one I've seen before!

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    1. It was definitely a perfect break from winter. Yes, that pitcher plant was so interesting and I never saw one before either.

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  4. Oh, WOW! Looks like a nice and peaceful place to visit. Enjoyed seeing your pics! Thanks so much for linking up with me at the Unlimited Link Party 24. Pinned!

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    1. It was very nice and peaceful. Although I disagree with it, requiring a reservation to visit due to Covid ended up being quite nice because there weren't many people.

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  5. Wow, so very beautiful. What a wonderful place to visit.

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    1. It was so beautiful and wonderful to visit. Thanks for dropping by.

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  6. I am so glad you were able to visit your daughter and her family. It's always so fun when you are surrounded with the ones you love. It's a bummer that it was cold and prevented you guys from visiting a lot of different places but the Indianapolis conservatory looks amazing. I am at awe at how those banana plants are so huge! I forget that. These are beautiful photos Amy!

    Maureen | www.littlemisscasual.com

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    1. Thanks Maureen. It was more than just the weather that kept us house bound. The little guy was sick the first half of the week. Maybe next year we will be able to get out more. Thanks so much!

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  7. what a delightful tour of the conservatory. the plants look so lush and hardy. A perfect intro to May and our outdoor gardening time.

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  8. We love the conservatory! My kids used to attend the educational classes for little ones. Now, they are too old for those and we go to look at the fish. Every year,(except last year) we attend the Christmas at the conservatory to see the decorations and take pictures. Looks like you had a lot of fun!

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    1. Oh, I would love to see a conservatory at Christmas, but unfortunately we usually don't travel in the winter because our house would freeze. We heat with wood and someone has to be home to fill the stoves. Yes, it was a lot fun. I enjoyed myself immensely.

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  9. I love visiting conservatories (or botanical gardens as they're usually called up here) in winter. There is something to comforting about the warmth and all the flowering plants. That looks like a lovely place to explore.

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    1. I could be wrong, but I think they are called "conservatories" when they are an enclosed building and a botanical garden when they are outdoors. I've seen many gardens referred to as "Conservatory AND botanical gardens" when they have both on the property. But yes, I found it so comforting to be in such a beautiful, warm place in the middle of winter.

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  10. What a lovely day out for the family!!

    Your link at 'My Corner of the World' this week is a wonderful addition!

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  11. Looks like such a lovely place to visit! It is nice enjoying a conservatory on a cold day, and you see so much beautiful colour with all the plants too! thanks for all the pics :)

    Hope that you are having a nice weekend! It's a long weekend here :)

    Away From The Blue

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  12. A visit to a conservatory is the perfect way to spend an afternoon. Looks so pretty and peaceful. We went to the Chicago Botanical Gardens a few weeks ago and it was so lovely to see everything starting to bloom.

    Jill - Doused in Pink

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    1. Yes it is! I have been to the Garfield Conservatory in Chicago as well...it's much bigger than the Indiana one. I think I've been to the Botanical Gardens once.

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  13. The Carnivorous plants are in excellent shape! Fabulous. What a gorgeous explosion of colour too!

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    1. Oh, which ones are carnivorous? The Pitcher Plant?

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  14. This place looks like a heaven for Plants lover . It would be my pleasure if you join my link up party related to Gardening, Nature an birds here at http://jaipurgardening.blogspot.com/2021/04/oxygen-releasing-plants.html

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  15. Wow ! What a lovely post. Thanks for joining in Garden Affair.

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