Show Horticulturist Abbey Claerhout has been with Dow Gardens for 15 seasons, however this function is a brand new one for her. On a typical day, Claerhout designs and plans for brand new plant materials, cares for and maintains current tropical crops within the conservatory and different interiorscapes all through the campus.
The plant exhibit area is now one giant open room, as an alternative of three particular person rooms.
Claerhout says revisiting the conservatory area took cautious thought, design, and planning. “Our latest additions embody the entrance entrance lobby that has a big gathering area and up to date bogs, an interior vestibule that may enhance our visitors circulate and butterfly containment, in addition to a redesigned water characteristic that has 9 falling water spouts and planter packing containers. The plant exhibit area is now one giant open room, as an alternative of three particular person rooms,” she says. 
The conservatory was designed by Alden B. Dow.
Strolling via the area’s shiny, ethereal lobby, the attention is drawn upwards because of a halo mild. The restrooms have heat, inviting tile work. Strolling via the interior vestibule leads you to a tropical plant exhibit. “As soon as you’re via these doorways, lush greenery and the sound of flowing water greet you,” Claerhout says. “Flowers, vines, small bushes, and water-living crops are all issues you’ll find in our newly renovated area.”
The area was additionally renovated to be extra vitality environment friendly, with 432 double-pain items of low emissivity glass, permitting for daylight. The inverted aspect partitions additionally characteristic an extra 62 items of glass.
The brand new area additionally features a separate part to be devoted to the butterfly and chrysalis shows, permitting higher flow-of-traffic. A well-liked spring exhibit, Butterflies in Bloom, has been on a two-year hiatus. Guests can expertise 1000’s of butterflies from everywhere in the world, from a model new window, providing an up-close view of their metamorphosis.
“As soon as you’re via these doorways, lush greenery and the sound of flowing water greet you…”
“As the brand new Show Horticulturist, I’m excited to have guests come and expertise a tropical getaway any time of the 12 months,” Claerhout says. “I like altering out the shows and including new plant materials, so keep tuned and plan on coming all year long to look at it remodel season to season.”
Upcoming Dow Gardens events embody the Halloween Hike in October, Christmas Stroll in December, Butterflies in Bloom in March/April.
