Franklin Park Conservatory’s Blooms & Butterflies opens this Saturday

Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens’ iconic spring exhibition, Blooms & Butterflies, opens on Saturday, March 11 in addition to new and exciting springtime exhibitions.

Now in its 24th year, Blooms & Butterflies offers an immersive, up-close experience with native and exotic butterfly species.

Each week, hundreds of butterflies from around the world arrive in chrysalis form at the Conservatory. Chrysalises are displayed in the environmentally controlled Emergence Center where visitors can watch adult butterflies emerge.

These newly emerged butterflies are released into the Pacific Island Water Garden, where hundreds of brightly-colored butterflies of all sizes enjoy the warm and tropical climate of the indoor garden, flying freely among visitors and feeding on nectar from colorful blooms. Visitors can watch butterflies take their first flight into the Garden during staff-led butterfly releases at 1 and 3pm each day.

In the summer months, Blooms & Butterflies extends into the Pollinators Garden, located on the Conservatory’s Scotts Miracle-Gro Community Garden Campus. A Native Butterfly Box allows visitors to see Monarch caterpillars transform into butterflies. Monarchs are tagged and released to begin their migration.

The butterfly metamorphosis can be experienced at home, too, with native Painted Lady caterpillars available in Botanica Gift Shop and Greenhouse. Once they have emerged, Painted Lady butterflies can be released outdoors to continue their life cycle.

Additional Spring Exhibitions include:

Cardinal Health Gallery: Efflorescence: Works from Open Door Art Studio
March 11–May 14, 2017
The artists of Open Door Art Studio & Gallery invite you to take part in an artistic Efflorescence. Open Door artists have worked, honing their artistic talents to cultivate an exhibition comprised of beautiful floral-themed artworks. Immerse yourself in the creativity and imagination of over 70 works from 32 Open Door artists.

Open Door Art Studio & Gallery empowers artists with disabilities to develop unique, artistic voices and to experience opportunities afforded through the arts. Open Door Art Studio and the Conservatory believe that creativity knows no boundaries and that all individuals deserve an environment for expression without limitation.

Fairy Gardens
March 11–May 29, 2017
Experience the Conservatory’s tribute to these fascinating and ageless wonders.

Stroll through a life-size, whimsical fairy garden. Discover the twisting chaos of the English Stumpery. Its weatherworn stumps and limbs provide the perfect habitat for woodland dwelling fairies and gnomes. Marvel at the variety of unique approaches to making fairy gardens, and see how many fairies you can spot along the way.

Get inspired to create a fairy garden! From fairy figurines to tiny trinkets, visit Botanica Gift Shop to purchase all the supplies needed to construct your own fairy garden.

Columbus Blooms
April, 2017
A delightful celebration of spring! Over 100,000 flowering tulips, narcissus, hyacinth and much more can be seen planted throughout the park and Conservatory. Immerse yourself within the hundreds of blooms and the vibrant colors of spring.

For more information on all Franklin Park Conservatory offers, please visit fpconservatory.org or follow the Conservatory on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

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