This Week at Phipps: Sept. 30 – Oct. 6

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: 

• COMING SOON: Fall Flower Show: Rhythm and Blooms
  Starting Sat., Oct. 5, Phipps’ Fall Flower Show: Rhythm and Blooms celebrates an array of musical genres accompanied by countless chrysanthemums in marvelous shapes, sizes and colors. Each room is inspired by a different genre of music, from rock and roll to classical, jazz, hip hop and more! 
• COMING SOON: Garden Railroad: Movie Magic 
  Starting Sat., Oct. 5, Phipps’ Garden Railroad: Movie Magic will allow guests to explore a bustling movie lot home to genres like fantasy, western, science fiction, horror and action with whimsical and interactive aspects! With an abundance of fascinating features surrounded by a beautiful plant palette, our Garden Railroad is sure to bring Hollywood magic to the glasshouse.
• 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.
• 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.

Wed., Oct. 2: 

• 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.
• Glass Mosaic Tile | 6 – 9 p.m.
  Explore color and composition as you decorate a frame with a wide selection of colorful pre-broken glass and tile. Mix and match pieces and see which best fit together as Debbie from Songbird Artistry teaches you how make your own Mosaic tile for your garden or home. In class you will also learn how to grout your tile. Grouting supplies will be available to take home to be done later if you desire. 
• Landscape Design IV | 7 – 9 p.m.
  Utilizing skills learned in Landscape Design I through III, the student will work through design development to create a master plan.

Thurs., Oct. 3:

• Succulent Terrarium | 6:30 – 8 p.m.
  Create a desert landscape inside of an open glass container using an assortment of succulent plants, stones, sand and other natural materials. A Phipps Master Gardener will guide you through the assembly of your terrarium while providing design and care instructions to assure a beautiful, living creation.

Fri., Oct. 4: 

• Farm to Table Dinner | 6:30 – 8 p.m.
  Join us for a Farm to Table Dinner with Pittsburgher Highland Farm and Chef Chris Galarza! The cows at Pittsburgher Highland Farm stay on the pasture for life, even through the finishing process, for leaner but tastier beef. Learn about the sustainable practices at the farm from the owners themselves, Mark Smith and Dana O’Connor, as Chef Chris Galarza, a leader in kitchen electrification, highlights grass fed beef from Pittsburgher Highland Farm on our menu as well as locally sourced seasonal produce.

Photos © Paul g. Wiegman