This Week at Phipps: Sept. 16 – 22

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.
• 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.
• COMING SOON: Ikebana International Exhibit
  In this recurring exhibit in our Welcome Center Gallery, view gorgeous floral displays courtesy of the Ikebana International Pittsburgh Chapter. 
• 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.

Mon., Sept 16:

• Wearable Flowers Series: Custom Floral Necklace | 6:30 – 8 p.m.
  Learn the design techniques needed to create stunning wearable fresh floral adornment for special occasions. In this session, expand your skills by designing a custom floral necklace, where you can learn wiring and proper use of floral adhesive application when designing these unique pieces. 

Wed., Sept. 18: 

• 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.

Thurs., Sept. 19:

• The Science of Taste and Flavor | 6 – 8 p.m.
  The experience of flavor is mediated by all our senses. When we eat and drink, the combination of sensory systems – taste, smell and chemesthesis (activation of sensory nerves) leads to our perception of flavor. Learn how taste receptors work, discover how color, crunch and aromas can trick your brain and explore how ingredients and the chemical components of food and drink can affect our senses. Join us for a fun evening as we explore the properties of foods and experience how the act of eating releases a variety of stimuli that contribute to the multisensory interactions that affect our perception of flavor.

Sun., Sept. 22:

• Peek Behind the Petal | 10 – 11 a.m.
  This special members-only event features Phipps’ 2024 Botany in Action Fellows, each of whom will give a 5-minute lightning talk on their research. Explore developments in a wide array of topics from forest restoration in Hawai‘i to biocultural sustainability in northeast Madagascar to microclimates in Panama and more with this cohort of outstanding plant scientists!
• 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 final Tropical Forest Hawai‘i Festival of the year, featuring entertainment, activities and more inspired by one of the world's most botanically and culturally rich forest regions.

Photos © Paul g. Wiegman