Phipps Conservatory Announces Summer Flower Show: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

For Immediate Release: Fri., April 17
Contact: Joe Reed | Director of Marketing and Communications
412-622-6915, ext. 3801 | jreed@phipps.conservatory.org

Phipps Conservatory Announces Summer Flower Show: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Explore Displays of Iconic Characters, Fascinating Features and Bizarre Botanicals

Pittsburgh, PA – Opening Sat., May 16, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is presenting Summer Flower Show: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, bursting with colorful interactive elements, topiary creatures, unique foliage and so much more. Phipps' fantastic show invites guests to journey down the rabbit hole for an unforgettable adventure! 

"Our Summer Flower Show, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, will feature many characters from the cherished original novel, including a towering 8’ tall Queen of Hearts with a dress of live flowers, the Cheshire cat made of preserved pink and purple reindeer moss perched in a tree, and a large caterpillar planted in purple and lime green foliage seated on an oversized  mushroom. It will be wild and whimsical as we play with scale of oversized and miniature details, and through visual illusions such as fun mirrors and plant kaleidoscopes. This show, which has been over two years in the making, is sure to delight with a variety of unique plants, including our much-anticipated Amazon water lilies, returning to display after a decade,” said Associate Director of Exhibits Jordyn Melino.

Exhibit Features 

• Watch an animated Alice fall down the rabbit hole in the oversized magic mirror in Palm Court as your adventure begins; 
• Look up at the giant tree to see a mischievous cheshire cat surrounded by brilliant begonias in pink, orange and yellow;  
• See topiary characters like the dodo, gryphon and mock turtle displayed among cascading fountains;  
• Marvel at a showstopping sculpture of captivating kaleidoscopes and disjointed mirrors in the Victoria Room;  
• Join the Mad Hatter for a terrific tea party in the East Room as colorful teacup planters hold gorgeous pink, purple, yellow and green blooms;  
• Visit the evil Queen of Hearts decked out in dried plant material in the South Conservatory as card soldiers guard her magnificent castle; 
• Stroll among a marvelous variety of mushrooms, bugs and flowers, both massive and miniature, in the Serpentine Room;
• And much more!

Summer Flower Show: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland runs May 16 – Sept. 27. Phipps is open from 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily and until 10 p.m. Fridays. For more information and to reserve tickets, visit www.phipps.conservatory.org/tickets. Summer Flower Show: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was designed by Associate Director of Exhibits Jordyn Melino. 

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About Phipps: Founded in 1893, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh, PA is a globally recognized green leader with a mission to inspire and educate all with the beauty and importance of plants; to advance sustainability and promote human and environmental well-being through action and research; and to celebrate its historic glasshouse. Encompassing 15 acres including a historic 14-room glasshouse, 23 distinct indoor and outdoor gardens and industry-leading sustainable architecture and operations, Phipps attracts more than half a million visitors annually from around the world. Learn more at phipps.conservatory.org.

Watch TEDx: What We Can Learn From an Old Glasshouse: A look at the evolving way we connect people to nature at Phipps, demonstrate how human and environmental health are inextricably connected, and show that to age gracefully, we must continually reinvent ourselves to evolve with the rest of the world.