St. Paul Conservatory

This week I had the pleasure of going to one of my favorite spots since I was a very small child, the Como Park Conservatory. I have loved this place for as long as I can remember, and try to go at least a few times a year. It is beautiful, old, and always changing. When you are inside you feel that you are walking through something very special; and it really is. The conservatory is nestled in the very large Como Park area in St. Paul. If you have ever driven north on Lexinton Ave you have most likely gone through the park. The roads become narrow and winding as you go through, and the speed limit is greatly reduced. The whole area is beautiful with many more things to see and enjoy other than the conservatory. At the time of the park evolving it was doing so in the spirit of other large parks around the world. Specifically the naturalistic design of English parks. Over the decades there has always been debate about the design and direction of the park. Some want it more natural, where as others want more of a standard design that is artistic. I think that Como Park is a great space for all types off expression, and they do a great job with it.

The conservatory is a large structure, 60,000 square feet, that was designed and built by Frederick Nussbaumer starting in 1913. It is domed with two long buildings coming off the sides of the dome. All of it is wood and glass and painted white. Looking at it you feel the power and strength of the building, but yet it seems to be light and airy. Something so large feels powerful but is delicate. It is quite the contrast, which adds to the overall feeling of awe with the building.

Probably the first thing you will notice when walking inside is the moisture levels and the heat. If you go in the middle of the winter you will be peeling your jacket off almost immediately. When you are inside you feel that you are in a large airy space. The light that filters in through all the windows makes you feel like you are still outside. When I visited there was no artifical light being used, only the natural light from outside. It was so bright that some of my photos did not turn out because of the glare. All around you there are towering ferns and palm trees arching over your head. The path that you walk on is stone. You truly feel as though you are in a tropical garden in another part of the world. Another thing is the smell. You never know what you will be smelling. Sometimes it is gentle flowers and other times a stronger smell of mold and earth. Always though it smells fresh like spring.

At the time the conservatory was built St. Paul was in its heyday. Many new structures were being built and the power and wealth of the city was evident in many places. The conservatory was one part of this. Approved in 1913, it was a huge beautiful display of the wealth of the city. Around the same time, many other powerful cities around the world were building similar structures. The fact that St. Paul had the extra money to spend on this building is proof of how well the city was doing at the time. The conservatory truly is the "crown jewel" of the city.

My favorite spot inside of the conservatory has always been the sunken garden. This is in one of the long buildings off the side of the large dome. In here you have all of the flower displays. It is beautiful and is always featuring the flowers of the season. Currently there are chrysanthemums, swiss chard and decorative peppers on display. As you can see from the photo above there is a lot of color and it is all arranged very beautifully. The sunken garden is also the brightest area in all of the conservatory. Even though it doesn't have the huge dome over head, you still feel that you are in a very large open space because of the garden being sunken down into the ground.

The inside of the conservatory is truly beautiful. If you are ever feeling down, or just cold on a dreary day and need some cheering up I suggest you go to the Como conservatory. You will feel better after being in there for just a short while. However, the inside is not where the beauty ends. From inside the conservatory you have access to the outside Japanese garden. This was given to us by our sister city, Nagasaki Japan. It is a large area of paths and traditional Japanese pools and gardens. There are bushes shaped like bonsai trees and many sculptures. There is a little stone walk through a pond that you can walk on. Peace and tranquility are felt in this garden. My favorite time to visit it is in the middle of the summer when all the flowers are in bloom. When I went through there this week it was cold and damp, so it wasn't quite as amazing as I am used to it being. Again, if you want to feel that you are visiting a far away place, go to the Japanese gardens. It's like an instant trip to Asia, since we are all trying to save money these days going on "staycations".

I love the conservatory. Make sure that you go and see this local spot!