This Week at Phipps: April 4 – 10

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: 

• 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. 
• Spring Flower Show: Sunshine and Rainbows 
  Only lasting four weeks, these delightful displays are a must-see to jump-start your season of renewal!
• From the Same Bulb: 2005 – 2022, an Exhibit by Sue Abramson
  From the Same Bulb focuses on Sue Abramson's photographic work with the elephant ear (Colocasia esculenta) over the span of 17 years. 
• 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., April 4:

• Baking with Herbs: Herbal Syrup | 7 –  8 p.m. 
  Herbal ingredients offer layers of taste and benefit to both sweet and savory baked goods. Learn to easily create herbal infusions that add unique flavor, interest and intrigue. Join Dina Ranade, Herbalist and Registered Dietitian, for fun, imaginative baking. 

Wed., April 6:

• Backyard Gardening Series: Spring Vegetable Gardening | 7 –  8:30 pm.
  Don’t wait until Mother’s Day to plant your garden – make use of the spring season and plant early, cold-weather crops that can give you an early start or extra harvest in your garden this season. Explore the best crops for early planting, and discuss cold weather crop protection strategies. 

Thurs., April 7:

• Taste of the Seaon: April: Shades of Green | 6 – 7:30 p.n.
  Eating seasonally means getting the freshest available food with the greatest health benefits. Not only is that good for our bodies but for our planet, too. Join Chef Emily to make Creamy Watercress, Pea and Mint Soup with Asparagus Spinach Salad (vegan, GF). 

• Tiny Trees, Big Stories: Bonsai with Ann McClellan | 7 p.m. 
  In partnership with the Japan America Society of Pennsylvania and Phipps Conservatory, please join us for a virtual lecture about the fascinating, minature world of tropical bonsai with author Ann McClellan. Learn what the art form is and how it relates to gardens, discover its ancient origins in China, and trace its refinement in Japan and its popularity around the world. 

Sun., April 10

• Botanical Ballet Virtual Dance Class: Swan Lake | Noon – 1 p.m.
  Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and Let’s Move Pittsburgh invite children ages 3 – 7 and their favorite grownup dance partners to get active together in a fun virtual ballet class featuring modified dances from the world's most beloved ballet, The Swan Lake.
• Sensory Friendly Hour | 5:30 or 5:45 p.m 
  In collaboration with the Autism Connection of Pennsylvania, Let’s Move Pittsburgh is hosting a Sensory Friendly Hour at Phipps. Individuals with sensory concerns and their families are welcome to join our team for a self-guided tour of the conservatory, including engaging sensory-friendly Discovery Station activities along the way.

Photo © Paul g. Wiegman