300 N. Central Park Avenue
Chicago IL, 60624
Phone: 312.746.5100 Visit Website
Chicago officially describes itself as a City in a Garden and backs-up that claim with an endless amount of top-notch parks and green space available to any visitor all year round. One of the places you can go to see a great example of an internationally renowned park system is the Garfield Park Conservatory on Chicago’s West Side. Four and a half acres of plants, including a gigantic fern room modeled after prehistoric Illinois. This huge greenhouse was built in 1908 and is one of the oldest and largest in the United States.
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General Info
Specialty: Flower garden, greenhouse Neighborhood: West Side / Garfield Park
Hours: Daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Thursdays close at 8:00 pm Price: Free Parking: Free parking on site
The stonework and landscape inside this elegant structure were designed by Jens Jensen and look today much as they did in the early 20th Century. According to the Park District, people used to believe the waterfall in the center space called the Fern Room was real and that the Conservatory was built around it. The vivid and varied plant collection is much different here than at the Lincoln Park Conservatory, so make sure to visit both. You will be astounded at the detail put into making everything appear as if it were growing in its natural state. The surrounding atmosphere actually lends itself to meditation. Get ready to just take a break here while experiencing nature at its finest.
Unwind through winding paths. The art displays here are integrated into the surrounding plant life. If you have a chance to drop by in late December, visit the Holiday Flower Show. This is one of the Conservatory's seasonal shows and lends a cheery feeling to the holidays. Look at and even smell the fresh Christmas trees, begonias and poinsettias. Don’t forget to check out the Chocolate Festival in February. The Conservatory has been doing these annual shows since 1915 so it has a lot of practice and will impress!
Events Calendar
Age of Azaleas Spring Flower Show From: March 04 2008 To: May 11 2008 Saturday, February 2 - Sunday, May 11
Horticulture Hall
Cost: Free
The 2008 Centennial Flower Shows include a number of historical plants and themes that reflect a century of American culture and horticulture, and pay tribute to the Conservatory's long, illustrious past. The first half of the Spring Show features azaleas, some descended from those in the Columbian Exposition of 1893. The second half highlights hydrangeas. More than 5,000 bulbs, including tulips, daffodils and hyacinths, will be in bloom in the Show House.
Spring Flower Show From: February 10 2008 To: May 13 2008 This year's flower show will feature a changing selection of spring blooming plants including Azaleas, spring flowering annuals and spring flowering perennials.
300 N. Central Park Avenue
Age of Azaleas Spring Flower Show 
