Showing posts with label Volunteer Park. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Volunteer Park. Show all posts

Friday, September 20, 2013

Volunteer Park Conservatory in September

The new ticket vending machine (near the entrance) in the palm house in September 2013

The seasonal display house in September 2013

The cactus house in September 2013

The fern house in September 2013

The bromeliad house in September 2013

Click here for more photos of Volunteer Park.

The Volunteer Park Conservatory is always a pleasure.  In September 2013, I found two major changes.  Following the results of a 2012 study Seattle Parks and Recreation conducted to identify a more financially stable model for operating the Conservatory, the City adopted the $4 adult entry fee beginning on February 1, 2013.  Also, the center of the seasonal display house had been cleared & paved, with a few benches & planters set in a symmetrical pattern.  I liked the open space, which had been cluttered before.  But I thought the planters were tacky.  The planting design is consistently excellent, better than I have seen in any other conservatory. 

Built in 1912, the Conservatory is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  The Volunteer Park Conservatory is open except on Mondays, even on holidays, from 10 to 4.  Summer hours are 10 to 7. 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.

Friday, October 19, 2012

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.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Volunteer Park Conservatory in August

Seasonal Display House August 2011

Seasonal Display House August 2011 

Cactus House August 2011

Cactus House August 2011 

Fern House August 2011 
 Fern House August 2011  

 Bromeliad House August 2011 

The Volunteer Park Conservatory is a welcome respite from the cold Seattle rain. 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.

Friday, August 19, 2011

Volunteer Park Dahlia Garden

Dahlia 'Alloway Candy' August 2011

 Dahlia 'Brookside Cheri' August 2011

Dahlia 'Eva' August 2011

Dahlia 'Fidalgo Julie' August 2011

Dahlia Northlake Heritage' August 2011

Dahlia 'Snoho Doris' August 2011


August is a good month for Volunteer Park. You can wade in the pool, climb the water tower, visit the conservatory & see the Dahlias. Dahlias are at their peak in August. The Dahlia Garden lies near the conservatory, east from the main promenade, across the lawn. Watch out for guys playing frisbee or football.  The Dahlia Garden is maintained by the Puget Sound Dahlia Association.  Volunteer Park is very centrally located on Capitol Hill in Seattle. The main entrance is at 14th Av E & E Prospect St.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Volunteer Park Conservatory

Seasonal Display House April 2011

Seasonal Display House April 2011

 Cactus House April 2011

Cactus House April 2011

Bromeliad House April 2011

Fern House April 2011

 
Fern House April 2011

The Volunteer Park Conservatory is a welcome respite from the cold Seattle rain. 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. 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.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Volunteer Park Trees

 
Sequoiadendron giganteum in Volunteer Park April 2010

Acer macrophyllum in Volunteer Park April 2010

 Arbutus menziesii in Volunteer Park April 2010

Cercidiphyllum japonicum in Volunteer Park April 2010

Cedrus atlantica in Volunteer Park April 2010

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 Volunteer Park Conservatory, the Seattle Asian Art Museum, Isamu Noguchi's Black Sun & the panoramic views from the Water Tower.  In addition, there are some very big & beautiful trees, some of the biggest trees in Seattle.  You can probably find bigger specimens in other parts of the city.  But in Volunteer Park they are gathered together in a beautiful setting.  The park is easily reached from Downtown Seattle by the 10 Capitol Hill bus, which stops at the park.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Volunteer Park Conservatory

Seasonal Display House

Cactus House

Fern House

Bromeliad House

Palm House

Entrance

The Volunteer Park Conservatory is a welcome respite from the cold Seattle rain. It is open except on Mondays, even on holidays, from 10 to 4. Decorated for the holidays in early December, it is a charming place for a quiet stroll on Christmas or New Year's Day, unless those holidays fall on a Monday. 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 lovely.