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San Francisco's Flower Conservatory Around the world in 12,000 square feet From "Dirt On Gardening" episode DDOG-109

San Francisco's Flower Conservatory

San Francisco's Conservatory of Flowers is California's first municipal greenhouse and the largest public conservatory in the Western Hemisphere. Built in 1879, the Conservatory is home to flowering plants from around the globe. It's a 12,000 square-foot "living museum" that houses more than 10,000 rare and exotic species.

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The conservatory's Aquatic Gallery

According to conservatory director Scott Medbury, distinct areas within the grounds immerse the visitor in the sights and flora of a particular part of the world. The Lowland Tropics Gallery, for example, is filled from the floor to the domed ceiling with palms, tree-ferns, flowering trees and bamboo.

The Highland Tropics Gallery section features spectacular high-elevation orchids and fragrant Rhododendron, while the Aquatic Gallery is highlighted by the spectacular Victoria amazonica, or 'Victoria Lily', which was first cultivated to bloom here in captivity in 1879.

Throughout all of its captivating galleries, the Conservatory of Flowers offers visitors a place to reflect upon and study some of nature's most intriguing offerings.

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