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Look at Belle Isle Park
Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory • Detroit, MI •
November 5, 2009
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PHOTO
BY GLORIA RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com
The
Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory (1904) is a greenhouse and botanical
garden in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It covers 13 acres located
three miles east of the city's downtown on Belle Isle. It is open
to the public free of charge every day of the year.
PHOTO
BY GLORIA RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com
It
is the nation's oldest conservatory, built in 1904, designed by
noted architect Albert Kahn, and rebuilt 1952-1954 with aluminum
replacing its original wooden beams.
PHOTO
BY GLORIA RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com
In
1953 it was named in honor of Anna Scripps Whitcomb, who left her
600-plant orchid collection to the city. Thanks to her gift and
subsequent donations, the conservatory is now home to one of the
largest municipally-owned orchid collections in the United States.
PHOTO
BY GLORIA RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com
The
conservatory site contains formal perennial gardens, annual flower
beds, a rose garden, and lily pond garden. The conservatory itself
covers more than an acre, features an imposing central dome 85 feet
high, and is organized as a palm house in the dome, the north and
south wings, and a show house.
PHOTO
BY GLORIA RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com
The south wing
contains tropical plants of economic importance such as bananas,
oranges, coffee, sugar cane, and orchids.
PHOTO
BY GLORIA RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com
The show
house, remodeled 1980-1981, features a continuous display of
blooming plants.
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