Annual Mum Show at the Rawlings Conservatory11/3/07

Hey, Everyone!

This Saturday (11/3) is the "Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory and Botanical Gardens of Baltimore"'s annual MUM Show. The Open House to kick this off is this Saturday from 2-4PM. I will be there as a "greeter".

It is going to be the most ambitious undertaking of all with a Japanese theme. I can't wait to see it! I know all the creative ideas they have been working on and I have seen some of this in progress.
I am a registered volunteer with them, but cannot make it there too often. It is quite a distance as the Conservatory is in Druid Hill Park close by the Zoo.

This "MUMentous Show" will run for 3 weeks. Hope some of you make it there one day during this time. Bring your families--especially the kids!

While there, you can also stroll through the 5 "Houses" that make up the Conservatory. The original 5 story high, all glass-enclosed Palm House, then the Mediterranian House, The Tropical House, The Desert House and the Orchid Room. It will all take your breath away!

Just 2 weeks after this Show closes, they will have their annual Poinsettia Show. Now--THAT is unbelievably impressive! Just to be in a sea of red--everywhere you look.

Please try to come to some of these shows and help support this last of all, operational Conservatories in the Baltimore City Parks System. Bring your friends and make it a day.
The Conservatory's regular hours are Tuesday-Friday 10AM-4PM. A $2 donation is suggested. They are closed to the public on Mondays. That is maintenance day.

For more information, call: 410-396-0180. You can Google it as well.

See you there??? Gita

edited--as the Mum show runs for 3 weeks--NOT two.

This message was edited Nov 3, 2007 7:33 PM

Thanks for the info., Gita. I've been wanting to check out that conservatory for the past year.

This sounds wonderful, Gita. I hope one of you can take pictures.

Oh Gita, Thank you so much for reminding me. We went last year and it was just beautiful. I wanted to take my parents this year. Last year I did a photo tour and posted it on DG. I'll go and look to see I can find it. How lucky for you to be able to visit and volunteer

That was pretty easy. If you have any interest in seeing last years show go to this link. http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/671852/

This message was edited Nov 2, 2007 9:38 AM

Holly,

Thank you so much for posting your beautiful pictures from last year. They speak volumes! Much better than my words.

You really took some nice pictures!

Everyone--PLEASE take the time to go see this place!

Gita

We very much enjoyed it. Looks like we may come down next Thrusday. We'll try to stay away from the more crowded weekend. Are the hours still Tuesday thru Sunday 10:00 to 4:00.

This message was edited Nov 2, 2007 10:22 AM

Yes, Holly Those are the hours.

There has been ongoing construction in front off the Conservatory. They are re-doing Swan Drive. Don't know if it is finished. I will know after tomorrow.

I will try to take a few pictures to show you all.

Gita

Just returned from Phoenix and trying to catch up! Holly, I remember seeing your pics from last year and oddly enough when I went to the link to "refresh" my memory, I found your picture http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=2928619. Oddly enough, this was THE plant that really impressed me while in Phoenix, it was absolutely gorgeous in some of the landscapes there. Jumped on DG to identify it :) http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/60550/ and had a chance to visit one nursery to try and find one to bring back. Unfortunately the smallest one they had was in a 2 gallon pot for $39.95 and it just wouldn't fit in my luggage! Told my son it would make a perfect Christmas present :)

RCN, I think they are pretty impressive too. My FIL had 2 of them in his yard in FL. They were huge and beautiful, one year he took them out. He said they were too much trouble, never could understand his thinking.

I better upload some of the pictures i took at the Mum Show at The Rawlings Conservatory last weekend so you can all see. I hope they come through better lit. I have a problem with my Monitor--as everything always looks dark. However, when I send someone a picture, they say it is perfect. So--I am not "messing" with any of them!

Hope it comes through in more "perfect" way than I see them on my Monitor.
Gita

This picture is from the Dragon in the South Pavilion. It's body is made up of yellow Mums. They have been working on this since July.

Here's a close-up of it's head.

These Mums were just gorgeous! They had them in different places . They came in Yellow, Purple and White.

These are in the South Pavilion where the Dragon is.

Hanging from the ceiling in the North pavilion were these HUGE ferns and underneath each one ( of three) hung a parasol.

Remember--I told you that this year';s theme was a Japaneses one, so there were all kinds of beautiful Japanese accents all over the place. Most of them made by--or provided by their Orchid Lady. She is just amazing!

In the South pavilion (this one is the most beautiful one) were all these large Origami Cranes hanging from the ceiling. These were all made by a 13 year old girl!

The two daughters of the Head of the Conservatory Association (Fred), ages 13 and 15 sat there all day teaching folks how to make all kinds of beautiful things in Origami.

Here's some of the finished pieces.

This is the North Pavilion's room--the main entrance--and an overview of all the plantings and this little, adorable bridge.
In the 2 corners were two big Urns filled with stark bamboo cuttings.

And, of course, Mums everywhere!!!!!

This message was edited Nov 7, 2007 10:10 AM

This is also in the N.. Pavilion. From here you enter the first of the "Houses". This one is the Mediterranean House. Then you will walk through the Tropical House and then into the Cactus House--from which you enter the South Pavilion.

In this Mediteranean House now resides my BIG Ric-Rac cactus--happilly perched on an edge of the big pond they have in there.
They re potted it in a big clay pot for leverage. It is quite heavy!

I am SO happy that they accepted it! It will live and bloom there very contently. It was just too big for my LR by now.

I have a second one I kept--still a bit more manageable.

Hope you all enjoyed this small "tour".
Please go see this place for yourselves. Take your Family and kids! They will love it!!!!...Oh yes--bring a camera!

Gita

Gita, Ric and I will be going tomorrow and taking my parents. I'll check out your plant. One of my favorite memories from the last time we were there was the wonderful smell in the Mediterranean Room. The display looks beautiful can't wait to see it in person.

Love Love Love that dragon! Thanks for the photos.

Beautiful photos and what an incredible display! Your Ric-Rac looks very happy in its new home :)

Gita, We had a real good time today. My parents just loved it. I have just "got" to get me a greenhouse. LOL Man I would just love a room full of Tropicals and of course the Orchids.

This message was edited Nov 8, 2007 8:00 PM

Everyone was very nice and we had the whole place to ourselves. You know middle of the day middle of the week.

We spent some time visiting your plant. Sitting on the bench by the water just talking, Mom said if she lived closer she thinks she could come everyday it was so peaceful and pretty.

Holly,

Glad you liked it! You must have an awesome camera! Your pictures are so clear and true to color. What camera do you have? I have a cheapy Polaroid digital. Won it for free last X-Mas at work.

Did you see the cards and envelopes on the rack near the greeter's table? Those are from actual photos taken by people. They even give you credit on the back. The are selling them for $2.50--a nice fund raiser!

In the last year's photos of the "Houses" you took so many incredible shots. Maybe you should have some cards made from some of them???

Are you planning on the Poinsettia Show???? I sure hope I can make it!

Gita

My camera is nice but not that special. It's a Kodak EasyShare CX7430. My children bought it for me a couple of years ago as a Christmas present. Before that I never took pictures. I love having the digital. It's easy to use and really good for mid range pictures. It will zoom in and out for close ups and distance but not enough for really really close macro and not for far away wildlife. Ric took those pictures BTW. One of the things I really liked was the trees that were producing fruit that was fun. We would like to get down for the Poinsettia Show and take Grandson Jr. I think he will like it. I saw the cards and thought they were so nice.

Holly,

Would you want to organize a DG trip to the Poinsettia Show?
I work Tues. Wed, and saturdays, but could swap off a saturday for a Sunday if I had about 3 weeks notice.

Gita

Gita, Sounds like a real good idea. I picked up a part time seasonal job and I work Mon, Tues, Fri and Sat. So I would have mid week Wed or Thur but the only weekend day I would have would be Sunday. Since you normally work Sat like me do you think we could get some Sunday interest? Or less likely we are both off on Thurs, wonder how many could come mid week? We would probably have the place to ourselves. I leaving for work now, I'll check back later.

Thanks y'all for posting the beautiful pictures. The dragon is so stunning and those mums! Wow!

Holly, those orchids are gorgeous. Do you remember a while back I posted a link to a place somewhere around here, Herndon maybe, that specializes in orchids.

Holly,

I think a Sunday would work the best--don't you? I think Sunday, Dec. 9th will be great! Not too close to Christmas, but we could see all the stuff right in the beginning--fresh!

Since they close at 4PM, people working would not be able to attend if we did it on a Thursday.

Are YOU willing to put out a "feeler" on the MA Forum? I don't expect that too many people will come, but even a few would be fun. I tend to run out of time about doing things like this.

We could go out somewhere nearby to have lunch afterwards. Maybe to the Hampden area that is SOOOOO famous for their X-mas decorations. The Conservatory is NOT, exactly, in the greatest of neighborhoods, but there are some close by.

Let me know if you are willing.......and able.......

XOX Gita

Isn't this thread a "feeler" about an expedition to the exhibit? Wrightie, how mobile are you these days? It would be cool if you could go up for the show!

When does the Poinsettia show start? I don't think the 9th will work for me/us, but the weekend before or after might...

Phipp's Conservatory in Pittsburgh just announced that the Chihuly exhibit (extraordinary installation of glass art among the plantings) has been extended an additional 3 months. Hooray!

Sounds good to me. I was going to ask about possiably going somewhere to eat after. I'll post another feeler for those that aren't watching this thread.
Critter, Good news I was just thinking about getting out to the Chihuly exhibit. I never got there this summer and knew it was comming to an end soon.

Gita, I put out this feeler. My Mom took home my flyer so I didn't have any info on the actual dates of the show or any other specifics. Maybe you could add some info. This is a great idea you had.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/788825/

Thanks, Holly for taking this plan under YOUR wing!

Gita