Garfield Park Conservatory and Sunken Gardens - Conservatory and Sunken Gardens

Conservatory and Sunken Gardens

The first Conservatory building in Garfield Park was built in 1915. By mid-century its condition had deteriorated and so it was replaced in 1954 with a new structure designed by the Indianapolis architectural firm of Burns and Burns. The 10,000 square foot (930 m2) Conservatory is constructed of welded-aluminum and glass, and was the first of its kind in the United States. Renovated in 1990, it is located at 2505 Conservatory Drive.

Also in 1954, the Pioneer Family fountain was moved to the Conservatory because of traffic congestion at its original site at the intersection of Virginia Avenue and Prospect and Shelby streets in Fountain Square. It remained at the Conservatory until 1979, when it was returned to Fountain Square. In 2009 it was again temporarily moved to the Conservatory while a new site in Fountain Square is prepared.

The Conservatory features tree frogs, free-flying birds and tropical plants, including an Amazon River rainforest, a large collection of bromeliads, orchids, and other epiphytes planted in a natural setting, along with bonsai trees, and miscellaneous flowering plants. A chief attraction is the indoor 15-foot-tall (4.6 m) granite waterfall. Visitors can guide themselves around the conservatory.

The Sunken Gardens (3 acres (1.2 ha)) were designed by the German-born landscape architect George E. Kessler and dedicated in 1916. They are European-style formal gardens, with three fountains, paved brick walkways, and benches. They are replanted three times a year with seasonal displays, taking advantage of the tulips of spring, the annuals of summer, and the mums of autumn. Its fountains and floral displays have held high regard throughout the American Midwest since their 1916 dedication. The fountains, the work of F. W. Darlington, are an example of musical fountains with colored lights and synchronized music. Originally, fish ponds existed inside the Gardens, but have since disappeared.

Recent decades have been harder for the Gardens, but a renovation in 1998 and the founding of two different groups, the "Friends of Garfield Park Incorporated" and "Friends of Garfield Park Conservatory" demonstrate renewed interest.

Both the Conservatory and Gardens are open seven days a week, during business hours. During the Christmas season the Conservatory has its Annual Holiday Poinsettia Show. In the summer, the Sunken gardens features concerts, collectively known as Music in the Garden. The grounds are available for weddings, but not for other private events.