Saturday was cold and cloudy so the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory in Como Park was the perfect choice for a leisurely walk. The botanical gardens in the Victorian glass domed conservatory opened in 1915 and rambles over 60,000 sq ft with separate wings in all directions.
The structure was beautiful but none of my pictures did it justice. Instead, I included the picture below from the next day when it was sunny and warm.
This bird was well known by the locals but I missed its name. We were told its job was to keep the mouse population in this wing under control. There were tortoises, snakes, birds, and, yes, mice amongst the flora in this section. Tanks held various fish, turtles, and stingray species, there was even a huge boa constrictor.
Another section was home to plants specifically without flowers. Everything was ferns and mosses with a misting system that kept the place pretty humid.
I personally found more interest in the blooming sections.
One small annex displayed several exotic amphibians including the Poison Dart frog below. He was behind glass so I felt secure grabbing a close-up.
We were told they are poisonous due to what they eat in the wild. They are not fed that diet here and as a result they are harmless.
One garden seemed specifically designed for weddings. I suspect you might have less access to this room in June.
The Charlotte Partridge Ordway Japanese Gardens in the conservatory included a history of Bonsai with many nice specimens. Outside, paths led us around ponds and statuary and, of course, Japanese Cherry trees.
I was unable to capture the real beauty of the garden with the dull gray lighting but the picture below shows one of the ponds.
Sunshine would have added to the beauty of the conservatory and the grounds so we will be back!
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