This Week at Phipps: July 15 – 21

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: 

• NOW OPEN: Summer Flower Show: Under the Sea
  Starting Sat., May 4, dive into the magical underworld of the ocean with whimsical displays of an array of sea creatures, unique plant foliage and fantastic flora.
• NOW OPEN: Butterfly Forest
  Starting Sat., May 4, watch colorful butterflies break free of their chrysalises to soar and glide among beautiful Phipps blooms. One may even land on you!
• Sea Creature Creations: A Youth Art Exhibit
  In this annual exhibit in our Welcome Center, view sea creature creations from The Fairchild Challenge student participants.
• 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.
• Youth Climate Advocacy Committee Sustainable Art and Fashion Gallery
  Now open in the Center for Sustainable Landscapes, view the handcrafted sustainable pieces crafted by Phipps’ YCAC members, who are passionate about sharing eco-friendly fashion and art habits and while encouraging youth to implement this in their own creative works.
• 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.

Tues., July 16:

• Phipps Summer Flower Show: Under the Sea and Drawing Class | 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
  Tour Phipps' new Summer Flower Show: Under the Sea in the Conservatory, then head to the classroom and enjoy a hands-on drawing class with botanical artist Robin Menard, where she will guide you in completing a drawing reflecting elements of the show. 

Wed., July 17: 

• 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.
• Painting the Beauty of Birds in Watercolor & Gouache | 6 – 9 p.m.
  Birds have been a favorite subject of many artists for a reason. They are elegant, colorful and part of our everyday lives. In this workshop, we’ll explore several approaches to painting birds, using white gouache with your transparent watercolors. Using limited palettes for each medium will focus you to learn the unique qualities and techniques of each medium so that you can create bird paintings that really sing!

Thurs., July 18:

• Sustainable Harvest Garden Design | 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
  Learn how to design a garden that provides a nearly year-round harvest. This class will touch on annual vegetable gardening but the primary focus will be on investing in a sustainable garden that yields results for years to come. Gain practical insights into planning, planting, and maintaining a diverse garden that ensures a continuous supply of homegrown harvests.

Sat., July 20:

• Botanical Drawing II: Volume, Texture and Details | 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
  Continue to develop your observation and drawing skills to accurately render leaves, stems, roots and flowers in varying positions, capturing details and textures unique to the botanical subject.
• Plant Identification Walk: Plants for Hedges and Borders | 10 a.m. – Noon
  The best way to learn about new plants is to see them firsthand in the landscape. On each Saturday walk, landscape architecture instructor and plantsman Joshua Beblo will introduce you to dozens of plants in the landscape. Walks will focus on different themes, and any plants you pass are fair game for identification and discussion.
• Tropical Forest Hawai'i Festival | 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
  Join us for a full day of exciting activities for all ages at our Tropical Forest Hawai‘i Festival, featuring entertainment, activities and more inspired by one of the world's most botanically and culturally rich forest regions.
• Phipps Medicinal Plants Walking Tour | 5:30 – 7 p.m.
  Join herbalist and Permaculture garden designer Therese Robbins of Heart Beet Herbal on a tour of the outdoor garden areas at Phipps. We will meet and interact with many medicinal, edible, and native plants and discuss their medicinal, culinary, or horticultural uses. 

Photos © Paul g. Wiegman