Volunteer Park Conservatory in October

Coleus at the Volunteer Park Conservatory October 2012

Chrysanthemum at the Volunteer Park Conservatory October 2012

Plectranthus at the Volunteer Park Conservatory October 2012

 

Hibiscus at the Volunteer Park Conservatory October 2012

Hechtia glomerata at the Volunteer Park Conservatory October 2012

Click here for more photos of Volunteer Park.

The Volunteer Park Conservatory is a welcome respite from the cold Seattle rain.  I can also say that it has the finest planting design of any conservatory I have seen worldwide. It is open except on Mondays, even on holidays, from 10 to 4. The conservatory has 5 houses, each quite different. There are bromeliad, palm, fern, seasonal display & cactus houses.  It is hard to say which is most interesting.  The seasonal displays are changed 6 times each year.  Plants are often replaced in all of the houses. I think Volunteer Park is the greatest park in Seattle.  Not only is the park beautiful, but it has a number of first-rate attractions including the conservatory, the Seattle Asian Art Museum, Isamu Noguchi's Black Sun & the panoramic view from the Water Tower.  The park is easily reached from Downtown Seattle by the 10 Capitol Hill bus, which stops at the park.