The Conservatory Chronicles 







Issue 79, June 2014 
Celebrate with us!
Annual Members' Reception, Thursday, July 17, 5 to 7pm

Once a year we take this opportunity to say THANK YOU to our members, for supporting the Conservatory and for being a valued part of our community. We hope you'll join us for this special evening.

- FREE to all current members (Join or Renew HERE). Kids and grandkids are welcome too!
- Sip wine or lemonade as you stroll, and enjoy munchies catered by Bi Rite Market
- Savor the beauty of the Conservatory after-hours, and check out our new Chomp! exhibit
- Meet and mingle with other members, or just explore on your own!
Members' Party July 17 

 
4th of July: We Are OPEN.

...and we've got great "fireworks" in here too! Kick off your 4th with a visit to the Conservatory.

The Conservatory is always open on the 4th of July, Memorial Day, and Labor Day.

Please note, however, that the roads in the park around the Conservatory will be closed in observance of the holiday.

Have a safe and happy 4th!! 
"Fly Trap Theater" Starts TODAY in Chomp!

Beginning today, six Bay Area high school students will help visitors to our Chomp! exhibit understand how carnivorous plants have adapted to trap and consume insects.

Thanks to a generous grant from the Mary A. Crocker Trust, these six students will be trained to serve as Chomp! docents. They will spend two months educating and assisting our visitors, AND they will be paid for their time and services. Sounds like a pretty sweet summer job!  

"It's a win-win," says Conservatory Education Director Erika Frank. "The students gain new work skills and have a great experience to put on their resumes, and Chomp! visitors have the added presence of enthusiastic young docents to help them understand how carnivorous plants function and survive."

The internship program runs from today (Tuesday, June 17) through mid-August.  
Looking back...
A lot has happened since our last members' reception was held on May 7, 2013! Here are a few highlights...

 Butterflies & Blooms Photo by Jim Derich Butterflies and Blooms
May 8, 2013 - March 16, 2014 
Special Exhibits was transformed into a peaceful sanctuary housing a rotating cast of exquisite butterflies, butterfly-attracting plants and flowers, and a pupae hut where visitors watched butterflies emerge from their cocoons.
 
Butterfly ornaments 
 Photo by Lauren Brunsvik
Sloat Edible Container workshop  
Just Add Water Workshops 
4 workshops, various dates 
We teamed up with Sloat Garden Centers to offer four "make-and-take" planting workshops, each with a different theme: companion planting, butterfly-attracting plants, planters made from recycled items or materials, and holiday centerpieces.
Sloat Just Add Water DIY Workshop  
 
Botany's Breath
Botany's Breath 
July 10 - 13, 2013 
Dancers from Epihany Productions Sonic Dance Theater led audience members on an enchanting tour of the Conservatory during this sold-out run of eight shows. The performances explored the relationship between plants and humans through dance, live music and video projections. 
 
Botanys Breath

Amy Stewart
The Drunken Botanist
October 3, 2013
This "intoxicating" event and book signing celebrated beloved author Amy Stewart's latest book, The Drunken Botanist. Guests sipped botanical cocktails as Amy described how roots, leaves, bark and plant extracts have been used to create or enhance intoxicants throughout history.

The Drunken Botanist by Amy Stewart


Dangerous Beauty Gala
April 10, 2014
Around 200 people attended this year's fabulous Gala benefit. The Gala raised thousands of dollars for the Conservatory, launched our new Chomp! exhibit, and featured tented outdoor seating, delicious food, signature cocktails, a lavish silent auction, live music and, most of all, great company! 
Photo by Claudine Gossett for Drew Altizer Photography
Join Today, Party Tomorrow! 

Father and daughter in Chomp! 
Photo by Stephanie Versin

We want to see YOU at our Thursday, July 17 members' reception. 

 

Become a member or renew your membership today, then enjoy the many benefits of membership throughout the year to come:

 

*Free Conservatory admission     

 

*Special admission privileges and discounts at nearly 300 gardens in North America

 

*20%-25% discounts on most  

Conservatory special events

 

*10% discount at our gift shop, Flora Grubb Gardens and The Urban Farmstore
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What's in Bloom? Nymphaea
Water lily season is back in Aquatics!
Nymphaea
Nymphaea or blue water lily

Location in the Conservatory:

In the pond in the Aquatics Gallery

Water "lillies" are not related to true lillies, nor are they related to the lotus. The plant's name, Nymphaea, comes from the Greek word for Nymph, which are supernatural feminine beings associated with springs.

The blue water lillies found in the Conservatory are striking because of the contrast of the blue sepal and petals and the yellow stamen which contain the pollen.

 

Water lillies bloom in the Conservatory from late spring through the summer. 

 

 

 Check our What's in Bloom page to

 see what else is blooming!
Visit Us!

Hours: Tuesday - Sunday: 10am - 4:30pm (last entry is at 4:00pm)

Please note that on Sundays and holidays,
Golden Gate Park closes many of its roads to all vehicle traffic.

Admission: $8.00 for Adults; $5.00 for Youth; 12-17, Seniors age 65 & over, and College Students with ID; $2.00 for Children 5-11; Free for Children 4 and under
Discounts available to SF City and County residents with proof of residency. 
The Conservatory is free to all visitors on the first Tuesday of every month.
RPD logo
Accessibility: The Conservatory of Flowers is wheelchair accessible for both motorized and non motorized chairs. Handicap permit parking is located at the east side of the building and also on JFK Drive in front of the Conservatory. 
Strollers are not allowed in the Conservatory.

Information line: 415-831-2090