This Week at Phipps: Jan. 6 – 12

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: 

• COMING SOON: 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.
• COMING SOON: 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.
• 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.
• Highlands Flora Project: Fraged Plants of Southwestern Pennsylvania 
  Now open in Phipps' Garden Center, plant lovers of all ages can enjoy stunning illustrations of foraged plants commonly found in southwestern Pennsylvania. Foraged Plants of Southwestern Pennsylvania is part of the Flora Project, a collaboration between Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens’ Botanical Art and Illustration Program and the Allegheny Highlands Botanical Art Society.
• Tropical Forest Hawai‘i: Aloha ‘Aina
  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. 
• 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.

Mon., Jan. 6:

• Yoga for Gardeners: Grounding in Stillness | 11 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. 
  Our January yoga classes will focus on the theme of "Grounding in Stillness". This month, we honor rest as an active process of renewal. Just as seeds lie dormant beneath the frozen earth gathering strength for the seasons ahead, our focus is on stillness as a source of resilience. Beneath the surface, quiet preparation is happening. This phase emphasizes the importance of the state of rest and intentional pause, allowing both body and mind to restore and gather energy for growth.
• Secret History of Plants: Phipps After Hours Tour | 6:30 – 8 p.m.
  Come get a private after-hours tour of the conservatory, when everyone else is gone. With this interactive, sun-down tour of the Conservatory, Boaz will encourage you to think about plants in an entirely new way. Plants aren’t just the building blocks of our gardens – they’re the source of food, medicine, housing, clothing, culture and so much more! We’ll stroll through Phipps’ collection and discover how plant and human interactions have shaped our world in surprising ways.

Tues.,: Jan. 7:

• Botany for Gardeners |  6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
  Why does a seed germinate or fail to germinate? Why are cut flowers collected early in the morning? What happens to plant tissues under attack by insects and fungi? Take a fascinating look at how plants grow. Topics will focus directly on botanical principles that relate to gardening: plants and their importance; stems, leaves and roots; factors affecting plant growth; reproduction; and fruits and flowers.

Wed., Jan. 8: 

• 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.

Photos © Paul g. Wiegman and Phil Johnson II