This Week at Phipps Oct. 17 - 23

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: 

• Fall Flower Show: Blooms Under the Big Top 
  Phipps’ Fall Flower Show: Blooms Under the Big Top will take you on a whirlwind tour of stunning circus- and carnival-inspired botanical displays.
• Garden Railroad: Our National Parks
  Garden Railroad: Our National Parks pulls into the station with miniature recreations of the beautiful National Parks of the United States, bustling with chugging trains and filled with live plants.
• Ikebana International Exhibit 
  Ikebana International Exhibit showcases the Japanese art of flower arrangement; with arrangements from the five schools of Ikebana.
• 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., Oct. 17:

• Baking with Herbs: Herbal Scones | 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
  Herbalist Dina Ranade is back this semester for more Baking with Herbs! Join her for tasty herbal scones made with herb infused milk, one sweet, one savory, paired with homemade coffee syrups.

Tues., Oct. 18:

• Plant Forward Gourmet: Miso Risotto | 6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
  Expand your plant forward kitchen repertoire with fresh gourmet recipes perfect for the season. Chef Emily will demonstrate the basics of plant forward cooking while adding in some tricks to take things to the next level.
• Not Your Mother's Garden: Explore a Piet Oudolf Inspired Home Garden | 7 p.m. – 8 p.m. 
  In “Not Your Mother’s Garden”, Deborah takes the audience on a photo tour of her highly unusual Piet Oudolf-inspired garden and describes the design principles underlying it.

Wed., Oct. 19:

• ​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!
• Landscape Design III: Design Development | 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
  Utilizing skills learned in Landscape Design I and Landscape Design II, the student will work through design development to create a master plan.

Thurs., Oct. 20:

• Autumn Gourds in Watercolor Using Masking Fluid | 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
  In this 3-session class learn how to use masking fluid while painting colorful fall gourds in watercolor.
• Sustainable Gardening for Western PA | 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
  Native plants are essential to a thriving backyard ecosystem – join us to learn more about what makes a plant “native” to western Pa. and how they support birds and butterflies.

Fri., Oct. 21:

• Virtual Environmental Film Series: The Scale of Hope | 7 p.m.
  Phipps' Environmental Film Series is an exciting monthly event inviting community members to come together to view environmental films and documentaries.

Sat., Oct. 22:

• Botanical Drawing II | 9:30 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.

Photo ©  Paul g. Wiegman