Como tour

We are blessed here in St. Paul to have a rare historic conservatory at Como Zoo.  It is well loved and maintained for the joy of all, and each year when winter has me in it's icy grip I take a day to stop and smell the flowers.

Here is some history about the Conservatory (and the above photo), from the Como website:

On Sunday, November 7, 1915, Como Park Conservatory opened and for the first time, Saint Paul’s annual exhibition of chrysanthemums was viewed all in one location. It wasn’t until 1925 that the now traditional Holiday Flower Show and Spring Flower Show began. On November 19, 1974, Como Park Conservatory was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Major renovation to the Conservatory began in 1987 and was completed in 1992. All the glass was replaced, the heat system was updated, hydronic heat was added in the Sunken Garden, structural elements were sand blasted and repainted, new electrical and lighting was added, and brand new growing ranges were built. In 2002, the Donald McNeely family provided a generous gift and the Conservatory was renamed the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory at Como Park as a memorial for a remarkable woman who made many contributions to arts and culture during her lifetime.

If you would like to read more, here is the link to the Como Park website: http://www.comozooconservatory.org/

With our meager winter this year, I have not felt the tug of the conservatory calling to me.   Driving back from Roseville last week, I took the longer but more interesting route home through the zoo.

As I passed the entrance to the conservatory, I realized I need to get there, and soon.

Until I do, and have some new photos to share with you, here are a few I took last year on my escape from winter.  And believe me, last winter it was medically necessary!

I love this shot of green, this is from the Palm Room.  Just the name of it makes me take a deep breath and relax a little.

Here in Minnesota, we won't see any actual green for a bit (well, other than this Saturday, on St. Patrick's Day!)  Soak up the color, and imagine the smells...

I found this video of the current flower show, so take a moment to enjoy:  http://youtu.be/ZupzRAuby-E