Phipps - History

No matter how many times I go to Phipps, I am always struck by its beauty. I have never been to Phipps in the summer...and it did not let me down. The place is gorgeous, gracious and welcoming. The amazing variety of plant life kept us moving from one room to another. One nice touch of this trip was the gargoyle display. A brief history of gargoyles showed that they were used to frighten away spirits (they were said to fly at night. Also, the Rain Forest room showed an amazing glimpse of plant life and culture in the Amazon -- and how local people use the plants for daily life. Another fun space was the Children's Garden. It was a hot day, but children still planted flowers that they could take home, watered garden plants and ran through a sprinkler. Finally, the airy beauty of the Butterfly Forest is a wonderful asset to a Phipps trip. It is interesting to note that the Conservatory was donated to the city by Henry Phipps who wanted to add beauty to the city -- and he wanted to be sure that it was open on Sunday so workers can have a place to see beauty in the city.