This Week at Phipps: June 10 – 16

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.
• 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.

Mon., June 10: 

• Secret History of Plants | 6:30 – 8 p.m.
  Come get a private after-hours tour of the conservatory, when everyone else is gone. With this interactive, sun-down tour of the Conservatory, instructor Boaz Frankel will encourage you to think about plants in an entirely new way.

Wed., June 12: 

• 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.
• Beginner Bonsai: Juniper | 6 – 8 p.m.
  Master the ancient art of bonsai in our hands-on workshops, and learn the horticultural techniques of styling, wiring, potting and root pruning this outdooor tree. Style your own tree and take it home to build your collection.
• Cooking with Beer | 6 – 8 p.m.
  Your favorite beers are for more than just drinking! Join Third Space Bakery and Trace Brewing for a hands-on cooking class, with beer! In this class we will have a Spring Asparagus Salad wtih New England IPA Vinaigrette, a Beersotto made with a pale lager, Chicken with Honey Dijon Beer Sauce made with a German lager, and a Beer/ Egg Cream Float made with a tropical sour, mixed with ginger liqueur and a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert!

Sat., June 15:

• Botanical Drawing I: Foundations | 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
  Botanical illustration differs from traditional drawing because it captures a subject with scientific accuracy through observation, form and detail. Learn to identify basic shapes in nature and use a step-by-step process to create the illusion of depth through light, shadow and perspective.
• Make Your Own Hot Sauce | 6 – 8 p.m.
  Explore different methods for crafting flavorful and signature sauces using hot peppers. Plus, discuss the Scoville scale, hot sauces from around the world and the health benefits of hot sauce. Take home your own custom hot sauce sample.

Photos © Paul g. Wiegman