Voodoo Lilies and Devil’s Tongues: A Visit to the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory
By Marsha Olson
As a long term Minnesotan, I can recall multiple winters with six-foot snowdrifts, hoar frost, and icy conditions. Last year was one such winter, proving Minnesota’s long time reputation as a place of ice and snow. I remember the two snowstorms that hit the Twin Cities in mid-December 2010. Over seventeen inches of snow fell during the first storm, making the roads treacherous and providing plenty of fresh material for building forts and snowmen. This storm was so powerful that it caused the collapse of the Metrodome roof, forcing the first real outdoor home game for the Vikings in thirty years. Although this winter, thus far, is nothing close to last year, there are still times when one craves a retreat from the inevitable snow and frigid temperatures. One such option is the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory located in Como Park in St. Paul (fig. 1).
I visit this Twin Cities landmark often, especially during the winter months. It is a favorite place to see flowers and growing plants, especially as a change of pace in the midst of a cold, Minnesota winter. Housing a garden paradise in its various spaces, the Conservatory offers a place to warm up, relax, meditate, and explore the richness of the flora of the world.
As you enter the Conservatory, you are hit with a flush of warm air and the pungent odors of vegetation and damp earth. The central garden, the Palm Dome, is literally filled with growing plants from across the globe. The humid air condenses and drips down on you, moistening the stone pathway. You see leaves and shoots of enormous palms span outward and upward (fig. 2), some reaching the top of the domed ceiling. Giant Philodendrons, Palm Grass, and Snake plants grow alongside Desert Fan Palms and Sentry Palms. Your vision is filled with green and growing forms. At times, you feel as if a dinosaur will emerge from the foliage. The presence of Cycads (fig. 3), a “living fossil” from the Jurassic period, confirms this notion. Orchids and bromeliads (fig. 4) burst with colorful blossoms, drawing you in to study and photograph these jewels of the tropics.
The North Garden extends the tropical nature of this indoor paradise. Flowers, fruit, and nuts vie for your attention as your eye takes in the amazing variety of textures on display, such as the thorny Silk Floss Tree and the knobby Common Fig. I made a special visit recently to see and photograph a very specific plant in this garden, the Voodoo Lily, or Devil’s Tongue (fig. 5). The flower is a mottled, brownish maroon with a long, brown projection. The smell is foul, like a dead animal. Even though these are not the loveliest of blooms, the Voodoo Lily (Amorphophallus Konjac) is a pleasant surprise in contrast to the more brightly colored flowers of the Red Ginger and Macaw Flower, also blooming at this time. It is a special treat, which only lasts for several days.
One of the favorite draws of the Conservatory is the Sunken Garden. In December and January, poinsettias of multiple colors and varieties fill your vision with reds, pinks, and whites. From the top of the garden stairs, a sea of color beckons you down into the garden, to indulge in this feast for the eyes (fig. 6). The plants are nestled closely together along either side of the pathway and along the perimeter of the space. Bi-colored varieties complement the intensity of the deep red forms. Three large poinsettias hover above the central pond, moving your eye to the bronze nymph cavorting in the water at the end of the pool (fig. 7).
During a visit on Christmas Day, this garden was filled with visitors. Families, couples, young, and old, made their way along the path. It was almost too crowded as many vied for their opportunity for a photograph at various favorite spots. Others looked like tourists with 35 mm or digital cameras aimed at the flowers, trying to capture that perfect shot. Many crouched and pointed their lenses at detailed color patterns of the petals, or took shots of the begonias and other plants included in the display. The glass and metal construction of the Conservatory let sunshine in, giving the ambience of a cathedral. It also provided a view of the outdoors, of the cold wind and snow that contrasted nicely with the warmth of the interior. While it was bustling on this particular visit, it was worth the time and effort. If the color and display alone did not lift one’s spirits on this Christmas Day, the visitor was surely reminded of the season at hand.
After enjoying the delights of the Conservatory, I take some time to make my way to the Tropical Encounters exhibit. It is a perfect companion to the Conservatory. Along the way, you encounter the Fern Room with its lush, green display of Staghorn, Maidenhair, and giant unfurling forms. Upon entering the rainforest exhibit, you are enveloped in the humid embrace of the tropics. For those who love warmer climes, this is the place to go. Tropical trees and plants grow along either side of the pathway. Small yellow and blue birds flit and fly in the foliage. Mist fills the air and everything is lush and moist. I especially enjoy seeing the large, tropical turtles swimming in a pool that almost spills onto the path, reminding me of walks with my family in the rainforests of Mesoamerica. My favorite denizen of this exhibit is Chloe, a female two-toed sloth (fig. 8). If you are lucky enough to see her when she is active, you will have the chance to enjoy watching her climb around her “tree” and eating lettuce leaves. She is truly a delight, aloof to the presence of gathering visitors vying for her photograph.
The Marjorie McNeely Conservatory is one the delights of the Twin Cities. If you need a change from the cold and snow, I invite you to visit the Sunken Garden and adjoining spaces, to see vistas of colorful flowers and green foliage, and to indulge in warmer climes. The entirety of these spaces offers a garden paradise, a plant lover and photographer’s dream. Take some time to relish in an environment that will soothe your cold-numbed head and provide a taste of spring to come.
For further information on the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, visit the website at www.comozooconservatory.org. Also, for those interested in reading about the history of the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory, see Jewel of Como: The Marjorie McNeely Conservatory by Leigh Roethke and Bonnie Blodgett (Afton Press, 2009).
Images
Figure 1: Conservatory exterior, photograph by the author
Figure 2: Palm Dome Garden scene, photograph by the author
Figure 3: Cycad, photograph by the author
Figure 4: Bromeliads in the Palm Dome, photograph by the author
Figure 5: Voodoo Lily in the North Garden, photograph by the author
Figure 6: Sunken Garden, photograph by the author
Figure 7: Harriet Frishmuth’s Play Days with poinsettias, photograph by the author
Figure 8: Chloe, photograph by the author
Post a Comment