This Week at Phipps: Jan. 13 – 19

By Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

There's always something new to see and do at Phipps! This weekly blog post provides a run-down of the latest happenings so you can plan your visit. Events listed below require no advance registration unless noted otherwise. 

Open Daily: 

• Orchid and Tropical Bonsai Show: A Moment of Beauty
  Remedy Pittsburgh winter's chill will a visit to Phipps' stunning Orchid and Tropical Bonsai Show: A Moment of Beauty! With all-new engaging displays guests will be immersed in room after room of ephemeral and entrancing nature. Join us for a respite from the cold and explore this warm oasis featuring a vast variety of orchids and classically trained bonsai.
• Tropical Delight: The Art of Deborah Sudran
  When you visit our Orchid and Tropical Bonsai Show, enjoy the work of Deborah Sudran, a gifted painter who communicated her emotional response to nature with compelling color and powerful imagery.
• LAST CHANCE: Tropical Forest Hawai‘i: Aloha ‘Aina
  Now through Mon., Jan. 20, Tropical Forest Hawai‘i: Aloha ‘Aina invites guests to take an exciting, immersive journey through the rich history, nature and culture of the Hawaiian archipelago. 
• Garden Railroad: Movie Magic
  Garden Railroad: Movie Magic will allow guests to explore a bustling movie lot home to genres like fantasy, western, science fiction, horror and action with whimsical and interactive aspects! With an abundance of fascinating features surrounded by a beautiful plant palette, our Garden Railroad is sure to bring Hollywood magic to the glasshouse.
• Planets Earth Virtual Exhibit
  A dynamic exhibit at the Center for Sustainable Landscapes (and now online) addresses the pressing environmental issues of our time and proposes a new way of thinking about how to solve them.

Wed., Jan. 15: 

• In-Person Story Time | 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.
  Kids will love visiting Phipps to listen to our storyteller weave tales about gardens, fruits, vegetables, animals and other fun topics. Attend weekly sessions with a special child in your life.
• Virtual Members-Only Education Class: Improve Your Plant IQ | 6 – 7 p.m.
  Boost your houseplant IQ with Phipps horticulturist Everett Chronowski. Everett will cover all the houseplant essentials to keep your indoor plant friends happy and healthy this winter. He will share tips and tricks on how to care for orchids and bonsai, as well as how to maintain those holiday plants that might be still hanging around like poinsettia and amaryllis bulbs. After the discussion, Everett will leave time for a Q&A so bring all your plant questions!
• Introduction to Watercolor: Materials and Charts | 6 – 7:30 p.m.
  In this class we will take an in depth look into watercolor paper, brushes, and pigments. We will learn about different aspects of these materials to understand how to use them in your paintings and which qualities to look for when purchasing new materials. In addition students will create useful watercolor charts from their palette of pigments to use for reference.

Fri., Jan. 17

• Festive Nights of Winter Lights | 5 – 10 p.m.
  To celebrate the success of Phipps Holiday Magic, we’re letting our Winter Light Garden shine for a few more nights of festive wonder. Drop in for a serene stroll among the luminous orbs, trees, towers and fountains of light in our Outdoor and Children’s Discovery Gardens.

Sat., Jan. 18: 

• #bioPGH Science Table Talks: Winter Weather Wonders | 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
  Join Dr. Maria Wheeler-Dubas as she dives into the fur, feathers, fats and natural anti-freezes that plants and animals use to stay warm during the frigid winter months. Learn more about these winter weather adaptations, enjoy demonstrations and even test your own ability to keep warm at this month’s #bioPGH Science Table Talk!
• Festive Nights of Winter Lights | 5 – 10 p.m.
  To celebrate the success of Phipps Holiday Magic, we’re letting our Winter Light Garden shine for a few more nights of festive wonder. Drop in for a serene stroll among the luminous orbs, trees, towers and fountains of light in our Outdoor and Children’s Discovery Gardens.
• Botanical Drawing I: Foundations | 6 – 7:30 p.m.
  Botanical illustration differs from traditional drawing because it captures a subject with scientific accuracy through observation, form and detail. Learn to identify basic shapes in nature and use a step-by-step process to create the illusion of depth through light, shadow and perspective.

Sun., Jan. 19:

• History of Botanical Art | 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.
  Explore the history of botanical art from its earliest beginnings in herbals through present-day contemporary works. The class includes a presentation from the Hunt Institute of Botanical Documentation which houses one of the world’s largest collections of botanical art and illustration. You will have the opportunity to study some of the rare books and original paintings and drawings by artists such as Pierre-Joseph Redout, George Ehret and Anne Ophelia Todd Dowden.

Photos © Paul g. Wiegman