Belle Isle Conservatory facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory
Belle Isle Conservatory
Type	Botanical garden and greenhouse
Location	Belle Isle Park Detroit, Michigan
Area	13 acres (5.3 ha)
Designer	George D. Mason & Albert Kahn
Etymology	In April 1953, Anna Scripps Whitcomb gave her 600 orchids collection to the conservatory
Operated by	State of Michigan
Open	10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (EST)
Status	Reopened June 19, 2019 (renovation completed a month early)
Website	belleisleconservancy.org

The Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory is a special indoor garden and greenhouse. Many people also call it the Belle Isle Conservatory. It is found on Belle Isle, a large island park in the Detroit River. This island sits between Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Ontario, near the Canada–United States border. The conservatory and its outdoor gardens cover about 13 acres of this beautiful park.

Opened in 1904, the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory is the oldest greenhouse that has been open continuously in the United States. It was named after Anna Scripps Whitcomb. She gave her amazing collection of 600 orchids to the city of Detroit in 1955.

History and Design

The Belle Isle Conservatory was designed by famous architects George D. Mason and Albert Kahn. They also designed the Belle Isle Aquarium nearby. The conservatory was built between 1902 and 1904. Albert Kahn looked at other famous garden buildings for ideas. He was inspired by places like The Crystal Palace and the Palm House at Kew Gardens.

The conservatory is located in the middle of the 982-acre Belle Isle Park. It covers 13 acres. To its north, there is a lovely lily pond. On the west side, you can find perennial gardens. These gardens are home to the Levi L. Barbour Memorial Fountain. This fountain was designed by sculptor Marshall Fredericks.

Parts of the Conservatory

The Conservatory building has five different sections. Each section holds different types of plants:

• The Palm House is inside the tall, domed center.
• The Tropical House is in the South Wing.
• The Cactus House and Fernery are in the North Wing.
• The Show House is in the East Wing.

The most important part of the building is its central dome. It is 85 feet (about 26 meters) high. This tall dome is perfect for growing large palm trees and other tall tropical plants.

A Long History

The conservatory was first called the Horticultural Building. It opened on August 18, 1904. It is still the oldest continuously operating conservatory in the United States. Soon after it opened, it became very popular. By the mid-1920s, about 1.5 million people visited it each year. In 1953, the original wooden frame of the central dome was replaced. A new frame made of iron and aluminum was put in place. This big project cost about $500,000.

In April 1955, Anna Scripps Whitcomb gave her collection of 600 orchids to the conservatory. Many of these beautiful orchids were saved from Britain during World War II. Because of her generous gift, the conservatory was renamed in her honor on April 6, 1955. This made the conservatory home to "the largest municipally owned orchid collection in the country."

Plant Collections

The conservatory is home to many different kinds of plants from all over the world. Each section is kept at a special temperature to help the plants grow.

Palm House

The Palm House is kept at 70°F (21°C). It is under the large dome. Here, you can see many tropical trees and palms. Some examples include the Chinese fan palm and the Canary Island date palm. When a tree grows too tall and reaches the top of the dome, it must be cut down. This is because these trees cannot be trimmed to stay small.

Tropical House

The Tropical House is also kept at 70°F (21°C). It has plants and trees that grow fruit. You might see common figs, calamondin oranges, and bloodleaf bananas. It also has tropical flowering plants like the pink powderpuff and peace lily.

Cactus House

The Cactus House is a bit cooler, at 62°F (17°C). Its walls are made of a special rock called tufa. This section holds many different cacti and succulents. Some interesting ones are jellybeans, the silver dollar cactus, and the "old man" cactus.

Fernery

The Fernery is built lower than the other sections. This helps keep it cooler and more humid. You can find many types of Ferns here, like the alsophila. There is also a small waterfall in the center.

Show House

The Show House changes its plant display many times during the year. It is also used for the conservatory's special flower shows and events. Outside, to the north of the entrance, are the perennial gardens.

Lily Pond

The lily pond is located between the conservatory building and the Belle Isle Aquarium. It was built in 1936. Its rocky walls were made from 200 tons of moss-covered limestone boulders. These rocks came from the construction of the Livingstone Channel in the Detroit River. The pond is home to Japanese koi fish. Volunteers take care of these fish. In winter, the fish are kept safe in the aquarium basement.

Greenhouses for Growing

To the east of the main conservatory building, there are 20 greenhouse structures. Fifteen of these greenhouses are used to care for the conservatory's plant collections. These include orchids, bromeliads, cacti, and tropical plants. Five of the greenhouses are used by the Golightly Career and Technical Center. This is for a high school Agriscience Program. These greenhouses help train students for jobs after graduation. They can learn to be green's keepers, florists, arborists, or nursery owners. The very first greenhouse on Belle Isle was built in 1903.

Helping Hands and Volunteers

The Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory is free for everyone to visit. It gets most of its money from local and state governments. However, Belle Isle has always had help from private groups and people who donate. Volunteers are very important for the whole island park. Four main volunteer groups have been key to keeping the park alive and well.

• Friends of Belle Isle started in 1972. This group helps keep Belle Isle clean and removes plants that don't belong there.
• In 1988, the Belle Isle Botanical Society began raising money for projects at the conservatory. They also provided volunteer tour guides and gardeners.
• The Belle Isle Women's Committee was created in 2004. Their first project was to improve Sunset Point.
• The Friends of the Belle Isle Aquarium formed in 2005. Their goal was to bring back the historic aquarium.

In 2009, these four groups decided to join together. They wanted to combine their efforts and ideas to be more effective. With help from other organizations, they formed one large volunteer group called the Belle Isle Conservancy. The Kresge Foundation, based near Detroit, helped a lot with this merger. They gave the groups $100,000 in 2009 and another $100,000 in 2010.

Today, there are five employees, a manager, and a supervisor from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. They make up the Floriculture Unit at the Belle Isle Conservatory. These staff members are in charge of caring for all the plants inside the conservatory and in the formal gardens outside. The conservatory relies on many volunteers for all its extra needs and work.

Images for kids

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  Old postcard of the conservatory, showing the original wooden structure

Gallery

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  Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory

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  The Henry A. Johnson Memorial Gardens

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  Pathway through the Tropical house

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  Entrance to the Show house

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  Show house (East Wing)

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  Palm Tree

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  Ferns

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  Example of an information plate at the Conservatory

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  Cactus at the Conservatory

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  Flowers in the Conservatory