Father Pitt

Category: Phipps Conservatory

  • Lily Pond at Phipps Conservatory

    The postcard was published without a copyright notice and therefore, by the rules in force at the time, passed into the public domain.

    An undated postcard from the Pittsburg News Company, found stuffed in a book that Father Pitt recently acquired. On the reverse is this legend:

    Schenley Park is Pittsburgh’s first and greatest park. It contains 422 acres, which have been improved by drives, bridges, walks, landscape gardening and the planting of thousands of trees and bushes.

    Note the two spellings on the same card: “Pittsburgh” in the legend, “Pittsburg” in the name of the company. The standardization of the spelling is surprisingly recent. Though the Post Office relented in 1911, after twenty years of suppressing the H, and reverted to the spelling “Pittsburgh,” some local institutions continued spelling the name without the H: the Press, for example, was the “Pittsburg Press” until 1921.

  • Fish with Personality

    Super red Texas cichlid

    Two cichlids from the pond in the Tropical Forest at Phipps Conservatory. Above, a “super red Texas cichlid,” which is a common aquarium hybrid; below, a pair of black belt cichlids (Vieja maculicauda).

    Black Belt Cichlids
    Nikon COOLPIX P100.

  • Abutilon ‘Biltmore Ballgown’

    Abutilon ‘Biltmore Ballgown’

    A fancy cultivar of Flowering Maple, a member of the mallow family (Malvaceae), blooming in the Stove Room at Phipps Conservatory. A more working-class member of the genus Abutilon, Abutilon theophrasti, is a common weed at construction sites around Pittsburgh.

    Comments

  • Magnolia stellata

    The Star Magnolia is a tree that gets to bloom about once every three years in Pittsburgh. It opens its flowers very early, and they usually end up frost-blasted either shortly after they open or while the tree is in bud. This year some of the trees had a chance to bloom before the frost; this one had lost some flowers, but was still making a brave attempt to bloom in the Japanese Courtyard Garden at Phipps Conservatory.

    Nikon COOLPIX P100.
    Comments

  • Bonsai at Phipps Conservatory

    Bonsai trees in the Serpentine Room

    The Orchid and Bonsai show was winding up yesterday when we visited Phipps Conservatory. We already saw some of the orchids; here are a couple of the bonsai trees that were on display in the Serpentine Room.

    Bonsai Calamondin

    This is a calamondin (Citrofortunella mitis), a tasty citrus fruit with sour but flavorful little orange balls that make good marmalades. The bonsai artist has given this one an attractive windswept look.

    Bonsai Calamondin (Citrofortunella mitis)
    Bonsai Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina)
    Nikon COOLPIX P100.

    The weeping fig (Ficus benjamina) is probably the most popular indoor tree in cultivation, and a well-trained example makes an evocative miniature forest.

    Comments

  • Some Orchids at Phipps Conservatory

    Dendrobium specio-kingianum.
    Dendrobium specio-kingianum.

    The Orchid and Bonsai Show is wrapping up, and the Spring Flower Show starts soon. Here are some of the orchids we saw today.

    Dendrobium Remy Hartmann
    Dendrobium Remy Hartmann.
    Epidendrum ciliare var. oerstedii
    Epidendrum ciliare var. oerstedii.
    Phalaenopsis ‘No ID.’
    Phalaenopsis ‘No ID’ (a very popular variety).
    Phalaenopsis ‘No ID.’
    Orchids in the Sunken Garden.
    Orchids (mostly Phalaenopses) in the Sunken Garden.
    Orchids in the Sunken Garden.
    Camera: Nikon COOLPIX P100.

  • Parodia magnifica

    Parodia magnifica flowers

    Ball cacti in bloom in the Desert Room at Phipps Conservatory.

    Parodia magnifica in bloom
    Parodia magnifica flower
    Ball cactus flowers
    Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z6.
    Comments

  • Spring Flower Show at Phipps Conservatory

    Pansy with stripes

    The Spring Flower Show is on at Phipps Conservatory for the next three weeks. When we have said that it is up to the usual standard, we have said all you need to know. Above, a pansy. Father Pitt didn’t catch its name, but it has personality.

    Bed of spring bulbs

    The beds in front of the entrance are a riot of spring bulbs.

    Bed of spring bulbs
    Himalayan Blue Poppy

    The fabulously rare and desirable Himalayan Blue Poppy (Meconopsis grandis).

    Meconopsis
    Broderie

    The Broderie and its wishing well, all dressed for spring.

    Wishing well
    Petunia

    Petunia × hybrida ‘Midnight Gold,’ a spectacular double petunia.

    Double petunia
    East Room

    The East Room.

    Delphinium

    A pastel Delphinium.

    Delphinium closeup
    Display in the South Conservatory
    Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z6.

    The display in the South Conservatory.

    Comments

  • A Gift from Henry Phipps

    Statue in the Palm House

    When Phipps Conservatory opened in 1893, Henry Phipps donated this statue, which has has sat in the Palm House ever since.

    Face of the statue
    Fujifilm FinePix HS10.

  • Entrance to Phipps Conservatory

    Entrance to Phipps Conservatory, with the Palm House behind
    Fujifilm FinePix HS10.