Phipps Conservatory – #ThursdayDoors

I’ve been saving the door pictures from Phipps Conservatory for a day like this. I had a couple of busy days at work and I got an early start on the renovation project (because rain is in the weekend forecast). In addition, this week began with a Sunday-to-Monday overnight low of 23°f (-5°c), so sharing pictures of warm green plants is a good feeling. Not too many words today, but this from the No Facilities Research Department:

“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.”

The 14 buildings under glass are connected by doors and doorways, so I think this is a fitting venue from which to celebrate the weekly festival of doors brought to us by our benefactor, Norm Frampton. If you like doors, if you have pictures of doors that you’d like to share, head on up to Norm’s Conservatory in Montreal. Push your way through the flowers and check out Norm’s doors. Then look around for the gardener (blue frog) – click on that little tadpole for admission to the main garden.

There are no pictures without plants.

Some of the glass sculptures that are mixed in with the plants.

Faith is checking the map.

They’re setting up a new display in the room. It’s going to include a train layout. Imagine, being paid to set up a train layout.

This is the entrance to the Bonsai garden. That garden is outside, but we didn’t mind getting a little wet.

Inside one of the water features.

The heads are a little creepy. This installation was created by a local artist. Fountains beneath the surface can be controlled by visitors.

Doors, doorways and cabinets.

There are doors of all sizes and shapes throughout the gardens.

I was struck by the contrast between the well-crafted wooden doors inside a glass structure.

There’s a door, just about in the center in the back of this garden.

This system opens the greenhouse windows (like doors). I had to include this :-)

125 years of beauty on display.

When it opened, Phipps was the largest glass building in the United States.

I love the tiny little doors.

So many doors.

Doors between gardens.

The doorway includes a curtain of hanging chains.

OK, it’s not a door, but the chipmunk enters and exits.