by November is definitely not the right time of year to visit botanical gardens in Ohio, but since the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens had a large Dale Chihuly collection, I went anyway. They have a large indoor section, so I had no trouble taking 8 million pictures like I normally do.
The gardens are located in Columbus, and date back to 1895 when the conservatory now known as the Palm House was built (it’s since been expanded). The Victorian style glass structure was modeled after the Glass Palace at the 1893 Chicago World Fair and Columbian Exposition.
In 2003 and 2004, the conservatory presented Chihuly at the Conservatory. It was such a hit that they purchased the artwork (valued at nearly $7 million, though no word on how much they actually paid). There are 18 pieces on display throughout the interior buildings. You bet I made them their own post!
The conservatory contains more than 400 plant species in several different biomes (Himalayan Mountains, Tropical Rainforest, Desert, and Pacific Island Water Garden). There are also bonsai, orchid, palm collections, along with seasonal displays.
There are several outside gardens, though not much to see during my visit (I still gave it a try). This just means I’ll have to go back at a better time of year some day!
Love this post! Beautiful pictures!