Special Exhibits Schedule
The Butterfly Zone
opened on Tuesday, March 17 and will continue through Sunday, November 2.
Night Safaris
First and third Thursdays
of the month
May 1 - Oct 2
8 pm - 9:30 pm
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VISIT US
Hours:
* Tuesday - Sunday, 9am - 5pm (last entry is at 4:30pm)
* The Conservatory is closed Mondays
* The Conservatory is closed on all Holidays except Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day.
* Please note that on Sundays and all major holidays, Golden Gate Park closes many of its roads to all vehicle traffic
Information line:
415-666-7001
Admission:
* $5.00 for Adults
* $3.00 for Youth 12-17, Seniors 65 & over, and Students with ID
* $1.50 for Children 5 - 11
* FREE for Children 4 and under and all Jungle Pass holders
* The Conservatory is free to all visitors on the first Tuesday of every month.
Maps and more information
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Have you experienced
the Night Safari?
Only three more opportunities remain to visit the Conservatory at night and search for the nocturnal moths.
Visit us on September 4, 18 and October 2 when the Conservatory stays open until 9:30 pm. For more information, click here.
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Planning a Special Event?
Photo: Billy Winters
The Conservatory of Flowers is the perfect place for your upcoming wedding, reunion, birthday celebration or other special event.
Visit our rental page for more information.
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| HELP SUPPORT THE CONSERVATORY
We invite you to support the Conservatory to help us expand our environmental education programs and our horticultural collections. Your tax deductable donation is greatly appreciated.
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New in our Gift Shop!
This lovely glass paperweight is the perfect souvenir or hostess gift from the historic Conservatory of Flowers.
Available now in our Gift Kiosk.
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A Half a Decade!
Dear ,
While I was not present at the momentous occasion, all I have read and heard about the September 20, 2003 'grand re-opening' of the Conservatory of Flowers was that is was a day filled with proud accomplishment and great reason to celebrate. As we pause to remember the community's noble and passionate efforts to save and restore the Conservatory, it is reassuring to know that this 1879 Victorian era glasshouse continues to welcome the world to explore its tropical botanical treasures.
With over 1.2 million visitors having crossed the threshold of our main entrance since that glorious day five years ago, the Conservatory touches the lives of thousands of guests week in week out. After it teetered on the edge of decision that could have easily resulted in its demolition, the renovated Conservatory's architectural grandeur within Golden Gate Park is only surpassed by the beauty and uniqueness of its horticultural collections.
As volunteerism, philanthropic support and overall visitation at the Conservatory continue to grow, the future promises an increased focus upon enhancement of the visitor experience, community connections, environmental education and the noted celebration of the Conservatory's mission. Next year will mark the 130th anniversary of the public's first experience within the Conservatory of Flowers. While we pay tribute to the colorful history of the Conservatory, we embrace a future filled with a fantastic floral focus and 365 days of 'grand openings' every year!
Thanks for your ongoing interest and support of the Conservatory of Flowers!.
Brent Dennis, Director
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The Golden Gate Express™ Premiere Gala
 The romance of the rails comes to San Francisco's Conservatory of Flowers this holiday season! On November 19, the Conservatory debuts its enchanting, new garden railway exhibition The Golden Gate Express™ with a gala evening event amongst the exotic flora in San Francisco's crown jewel of Victorian architecture.
With this delightful new exhibition, the Conservatory celebrates the city of San Francisco as model G-gauge trains wend their way through a lush landscape of dwarf plants and steam past twenty of the city's landmark buildings. From City Hall to the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco's most famous places provide a magical setting for this special holiday attra.ction that will captivate young and old alike.
Gala guests can be the first to see The Golden Gate Express™ and have the rare chance to experience the Conservatory at night. There is nothing quite like an evening in this historic greenhouse as the lights come on and transform the building and its tropical plant collections into a glowing oasis in the park.
Guests will enjoy a signature Golden Gate Express™ cocktail, premium wines, "Station Stops" of tantalizing treats provided by McCall Catering and live music. Space is limited, so get your tickets now and be the first to come aboard The Golden Gate Express™!
All proceeds benefit the Conservatory of Flowers' youth environmental education programs.
For more information, please visit our website.
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Photo: Tom Koerber
Potted plants has been showing off our small tuberous begonia collection this summer. Our aim is to restore the flower show we used to have years ago in the west wing. The plan is to increase the number of tubers every year until we have a breathtaking show of the Begonia xTuberhybrida group!
The genus Begonia belongs to the family Begoniaceae and is related to the order Curcubitales.
French botanist Charles Plumier named, illustrated and published six new species in 1700 to honor Michel Begon, governor of the French Antilles from 1682 to 1685. With 1,500 species the genus is found in Africa, Asia and the Americas at a range of altitudes and habitats; growing in specific niches,many of the wild plants are endemic to a locale.
Begonias have alternate stipulate leaves, separate male and female flowers, petal like sepals, center petal stamen development, inferior ovary and calcium oxalate crystals. Some of the botanical species classified as tuberous which have been used to develop the hybrid cultivars are Andean in origin. These species, that contributed to our modern hybrids go dormant in nature as a result of reduced rainfall and day length shifts. Cold treatment is necessary to break dormancy. Tubers held at 34 to 41 degrees F for 60 to 90 days will form new shoots in February.
Aside from botanical classification, growers in the USA have adopted a horticultual classification which reflects similar cultural requirements. And so we have the following groupings: Semperflorens, Rhizomatous, Rex, Cane-like, Shrub-like, Thick-stemmed, Tuberous and Trailing or Scandent.
Lupe Cota
Bibliography:
Floriculture Principles and Species, John M. Dole, Harold F. Wilkins 1999
Begonias, Cultivation, Identification and Natural History. Mark C. Tebbitt 2005
Growing Begonias. Eric Catterall 1984.
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 Meet the Conservatory Staff -
Ann Ziolkowski
Ann joined the Conservatory management team in July 2003 after working in the Chicago Park system for 12 years. As Director of Operations, she oversees day-to-day facility operations and capital projects such as installation of the new multipurpose event space. Other recent projects include implementing the new phone system, upgrading the point of sale system, and completing the staff office space. Her days here are rarely repetitious with the daily operations always providing a new challenge or problem to be solved.
She currently serves as Board President for The Arc of San Francisco. The agency provides services such as employment, housing, and life skills training to people with developmental disabilities. Ann partnered with The Arc to hire two clients for the Conservatory's Guest Services team who have been employed with us for nearly four years.
In her free time, she enjoys road biking, golfing, hiking, and spending time with her three little nephews.
Read more about Ann and her volunteer work with the ARC in the August issue of Seven x Seven.
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