Understanding the art and aesthetic behind Como’s elegant potted trees

With more than 100 potted trees—including one specimen that’s more than 450 years old—the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory’s bonsai collection is one of the best in the Midwest with a diverse range of species and styles. But one factor that really sets it apart from other collections may be Minnesota’s harsh winters. “I think our collection may be grown in the coldest climate of any botanical garden collection in the country,” says Reva Kos, the horticulturist who’s shaped the collection for two decades. “In California, you’ll see bonsai everywhere, but here it’s more challenging.”

But by spring, when the risk of frost subsides, Kos starts selecting the best trees in the collection for their big moment in the Mother’s Day Bonsai Show, slated for May 9 and 10. A long-standing Como tradition produced in partnership with members of the Minnesota Bonsai Society, the two-day exhibit features some of Como’s best specimens in the Ordway Gardens’ indoor display and outdoor vitrines, as well as favorites from private collections. As the state’s bonsai aficionados are putting the finishing touches on their most treasured trees, Como Friends asked Kos to share her tips and tricks for bonsai beginners.

Asian Roots: Bonsai has roots that go back to China in 700 AD where crafting elegant potted trees or pun-sai was only for the elite. By the 1200s, bonsai had become a mainstay of Japanese horticulture, spreading through Europe and the West by the late 19th century. As a result, every culture has a favored style, from the densely “helmeted” trees you might see in a European collection, to the airier American style influenced by California bonsai master John Yoshio Naka, who believed branches must “leave room for the birds to fly through.” No matter where they come from, Kos says, bonsai are typically planted in a soilless mixture of pumice, lava rock, and akadama, a granular clay-like material mined from the volcanic soil near Japan’s Mount Fuji. 

Pick the Right Plant: Almost any woody plant or shrub can be formed into a bonsai, but Kos urges beginners to make sure the plant you’re choosing will thrive in the conditions where it will live. “Bonsai are plants, so they generally do best outside, but there are some species that do very well indoors,” she says. “You want to try to mimic the temperature conditions that woody or herbaceous plants would need to grow outside, so if you’ve chosen a plant that requires a period of cold and dormancy to grow, try to create that at home.” If you’re planning to keep your bonsai indoors, tropical and subtropical plants like ficus and podocarpus are good choices for home growing. Ready for a faster start? This month, the Como Friends Gift Shop is featuring dozens of beginner bonsai for purchase. (Como Friends members enjoy 15 percent off every purchase!)

Find Design Inspiration: There are dozens of different bonsai styles, each with their own aesthetic goals. For instance, the forest-style bonsai (Yose-ue) features multiple plants in a staggered formation to create the sense of a deep forest in fine detail. Other styles of bonsai try to recreate the look of a wind-swept tree struggling to survive (Fukinagashi), an upright plant reaching straight for the sun (Chokkan), or the dip and flow of a cascading river (Kengai). Check out Instagram, Pinterest, and other sites for visual inspiration, as well as the many bonsai blogs that provide tips about training these potted trees over time.

Be Patient, Not Precious: As Como’s resident bonsai guru, Kos has the rare ability to see what a tree will look like in five or ten years, training individual trees for years at a time. While this kind of gardening takes great patience, she cautions against being overly precious with your plants. “Anyone can start a bonsai, but it’s harder to learn if you’re afraid to touch it. I really enjoy pruning, so you just have to have the confidence to trim and prune in the way you want it to grow,” she says. “Take your time, because if you’re in a hurry, you can kill your tree if you try to do everything at once. But don’t be afraid to experiment because that’s how you learn the most. When you make mistakes, that’s how you become better.”

Grow Your Community: Once your bonsai hobby takes root, consider joining the Minnesota Bonsai Society, an all-volunteer group whose members have a long history of support for the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory’s public collection of bonsai. “We have a mutually beneficial exchange, where they help provide volunteers who help us with our collection, while we help generate public interest in bonsai,” Kos says. “The Minnesota Bonsai Society is a great resource and their members are very helpful and excited to share their knowledge.”

A Kaleidoscope of Connections: Conservation for Monarch Butterflies

Sunday, April 26 | 12:00 PM | Visitor Center Auditorium

Presented by Katie-Lyn Puffer, Monarch Joint Venture

Como Friends members are invited to take a deeper dive into the fascinating world of monarch butterflies at a special conservation weekend sponsored by Xcel Energy at Como Park Zoo & Conservatory. Learn about their life cycle, population challenges, and how you can help support pollinators at home.

Join Katie-Lyn Puffer on Sunday, April 26, for a presentation, Q&A session, and trivia! The education manager for Monarch Joint Venture, Katie will be presenting her extensive knowledge about monarch butterfly biology and ecology, and how monarch conservation efforts through organizations such as Monarch Joint Venture also benefit people, other wildlife, and the environment.

Monarchs have captured the hearts of many. Discover ways to help this beloved insect in your own backyard. During this presentation, you’ll learn about the monarch life cycle, their population decline, and ways to help, including gardening—what to think about when planting for pollinators and the plants to include.

Note: Please bring your own lunch to enjoy during the Lunch & Learn. This presentation is designed for an adult audience.

Katie-Lyn Puffer oversees and coordinates MJV’s education and outreach programs, which include professional development programs for teachers and educators, local programming, and public courses both virtual and in-person. She graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Environmental Sciences Policy and Management. Before MJV, Katie-Lyn worked as an informal educator at museums, zoos, nature centers, and park systems where she led and coordinated summer camps, field trips, and outdoor education programs for all ages. In her free time, she can be found hiking, camping, reading, knitting, and spending time with her son.

An Ocean of Change: How Climate Change and Commercial Fishing Impact African Penguins

Saturday, February 21 | Noon

Como Friends members are invited to “Waddle Into Action” at a special conservation weekend sponsored by Xcel Energy at Como Park Zoo & Conservatory!

Join Aquatics Zookeeper Kelley Dinsmore for an in-depth discussion on the dramatic decline of African penguins in the wild over the past 50 years. Learn how programs like AZA SAFE and SANCCOB are working to stabilize and reverse this trend, and hear firsthand about penguin conservation efforts in South Africa.

Bring your lunch, settle in, and get an inside look at caring for African penguins, both in the wild and right here at Como.

*The content and format of the Community Lunch & Learn is specifically geared toward an adult audience. 

Seats for the Lunch & Learn are very limited, with only 60 places reserved for members. Advance RSVP required. 

Sign up below—if the form does not appear, please call Como Friends at 651-487-8229 to join the waitlist.

The final Flower Show of the year celebrates the warmth of autumn

A long-running design trend in fashion, hair, and homewares, the ombre pattern is now making its horticultural debut in the Sunken Garden, where waves of yellow, gold, pink, and purple chrysanthemums ripple against the room’s reflecting pool.

“The theme we were going for was ‘sunset on the water,’” says Willow Stephens, the Right Track horticultural apprentice who co-designed the show along with Como horticulturist Rylee Werden. “The white mums at the end of the pool represent the bright sun, and then you see the colors around it fade away, yellow to orange, pink to purple.”

And now through November 16, Como’s Fall Flower Show is taking its inspiration from the color palette of Como Zoo’s lions, Mumford and Maji. Sunken Garden flower shows are free to the public, and made possible, in part, by your support for Como Friends. Thank you!

An autumn tradition for more than a century, designing the Fall Flower Show at the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory is a cool project for any young horticulturist to have on their resume. But this season’s display is extra special—it will be the last shot of color in the Sunken Garden before it closes for renovations that will make the historic room more accessible to visitors with strollers, wheelchairs, and other mobility challenges. While it’s under construction, Como’s horticulturists, and an event and display company are planning a poinsettia display for the Visitor Center porch.

“There’s never a great time to close any corner of Como, particularly a garden that visitors love as much as the Sunken Garden,” says Como Campus Director Michelle Furrer. “While we won’t be able to experience the Holiday Flower Show, we are planning a special exhibition, Winter’s Blooming Wonderland, that includes the traditional poinsettias on the Visitor Center Porch.”

That’s why horticulturists came up with a particularly colorful plan for this season’s two-part flower show. Following the sunset theme, which runs through October 27, the second half takes its inspiration from the color palette of Como Zoo’s lions, Mumford and Maji, and will run from November 1 through 16. 

In addition to traditional mums, Werden says visitors will see her favorite plant, the viola “antique shades,” and many other vibrant supporting players. “The cooler temperatures and shorter days do restrict the types of plants that we can select, but we’ve chosen some that give the room a nice fall feel—chard and kale, marigolds, millet, and grasses all look great with these mums.” 

“We’re really excited about having a room that’s more accessible, and that more people can appreciate,” says Werden. “And one thing we really like is that these changes will even create a little more space for garden beds.”

Symbolizing joy, luck, friendship, and rebirth, chrysanthemums have been the centerpiece of the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory’s fall flower shows since 1915. This year’s show highlights the versatility of mums by featuring the same plant side by side—one in the traditional shape, the other pruned back to create a show-stopping central bloom. 

To keep all of these plants healthy, Werden recently released hundreds of lacewings into the Sunken Garden. These tiny but mighty beneficial bugs can help protect chrysanthemums from pests known as “thrips,” and the potentially deadly viruses they carry. The Integrated Pest Management program was funded in 2024 by your support to Como Friends. Thank you!

The season’s best Como traditions are back

One of the beauties of Como Park Zoo & Conservatory is finding something to delight every time you drop in. But with these inside tips about Como’s value-added programs, you’ll find even more to love.

The St. Paul Winter Carnival Orchid Show is the cure for the mid-winter blahs

With more than 28,000 naturally occurring species, the Orchidaceae family is one of the largest and most diverse of the world’s flowering plants. On January 27 and 28, Marjorie McNeely Conservatory visitors will get a chance to see the cream of the crop at the St. Paul Winter Carnival Orchid Show, a Como tradition for nearly 50 years.

Curating and designing Como’s display this year is horticulturist Alejandro Balderas, who cares about orchids even in his off-hours. “Before I moved to Minnesota from California, I had about 70 plants and 30 cultivars of my own,” he says. While he’s trimmed his personal collection to a more manageable size, there’s a good chance it will grow again once he’s had a look at the newest species and varietals for purchase at the Orchid Show’s marketplace. “There are so  many shapes and sizes, and there’s always something new on the market,” he says. “It makes it hard to resist.” 

Like the tulip mania that hit Europe in the 1600s, orchids had a similar history in the 1800s, when so-called “orchidelirium” sent prices for rare tropical species soaring into the stratosphere. But now with so many hearty varieties widely available in garden shops and grocery stores, orchids are no longer quite as intimidating to curious home gardeners. 

“Orchid growing has become much more transparent because of the internet and with people having access to the literature online,” he says, from groups like the Orchid Society of Minnesota, a co-sponsor of the Winter Carnival Show. “They’re one of the few houseplants that actually flowers consistently,” he says, with colors made to attract pollinators and people stuck indoors during the winter. “Minnesotans seem to really love their orchids,” he says. 

For the show, Balderas and other horticulturists are planning to display more than two dozen of the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory’s best species, drawn from a large working  collection predominantly featuring plants from Central and South America. Set in the Fern Room, the design will feature a sculpture dedicated to the Conservatory on its 50th anniversary in 1965.

Advanced admission reservations are required to attend the St. Paul Winter Carnival Orchid Show, and tickets are $5 for adults and $4 for Como Friends members, seniors, and children under the age of 12. Visit this link for more information. 

Your support for Como Friends helps to make the Conservation Champions program possible, supporting Como’s talented staff’s participation in conservation partnerships and in their continued professional development. Thank you!

Parking will Remain Free at Como Park Zoo & Conservatory!

Como Friends is happy to share that the City of Saint Paul has determined that parking will remain free in Como Regional Park, including at Como Park Zoo & Conservatory and will not be pursued for the 2021 budget.

The decision was made based on findings from the Paid Parking Feasibility Study. Key discoveries included a likely decline in people visiting Como Park Zoo & Conservatory because of paid parking and a decline in food and retail purchases during a visit.

Como Friends will advance our mission-driven work to inspire support for the zoo and conservatory so it remains a vibrant and welcoming place where future generations can explore and make memories.

Be sure to join our Como Promo email newsletter list at https://comofriends.org/get-involved/the-como-promo/ to stay informed on the latest developments, and to learn more about Como Friends’ advocacy work on behalf of the nearly two million visitors who come to Como Park Zoo & Conservatory every year. Thank you for all you do to support free access and needed improvements at Como Park Zoo & Conservatory, to ensure this beloved treasure is thriving for generations to come.

Parking will Remain Free at Como Park Zoo & Conservatory!

Como Friends is happy to share that the City of Saint Paul has determined that parking will remain free in Como Regional Park, including at Como Park Zoo & Conservatory and will not be pursued for the 2021 budget.

The decision was made based on findings from the Paid Parking Feasibility Study. Key discoveries included a likely decline in people visiting Como Park Zoo & Conservatory because of paid parking and a decline in food and retail purchases during a visit.

Como Friends will advance our mission-driven work to inspire support for the zoo and conservatory so it remains a vibrant and welcoming place where future generations can explore and make memories.

Be sure to join our Como Promo email newsletter list at https://comofriends.org/get-involved/the-como-promo/ to stay informed on the latest developments, and to learn more about Como Friends’ advocacy work on behalf of the nearly two million visitors who come to Como Park Zoo & Conservatory every year. Thank you for all you do to support free access and needed improvements at Como Park Zoo & Conservatory, to ensure this beloved treasure is thriving for generations to come.

Parking will Remain Free at Como Park Zoo & Conservatory!

Como Friends is happy to share that the City of Saint Paul has determined that parking will remain free in Como Regional Park, including at Como Park Zoo & Conservatory and will not be pursued for the 2021 budget.

The decision was made based on findings from the Paid Parking Feasibility Study. Key discoveries included a likely decline in people visiting Como Park Zoo & Conservatory because of paid parking and a decline in food and retail purchases during a visit.

Como Friends will advance our mission-driven work to inspire support for the zoo and conservatory so it remains a vibrant and welcoming place where future generations can explore and make memories.

Be sure to join our Como Promo email newsletter list at https://comofriends.org/get-involved/the-como-promo/ to stay informed on the latest developments, and to learn more about Como Friends’ advocacy work on behalf of the nearly two million visitors who come to Como Park Zoo & Conservatory every year. Thank you for all you do to support free access and needed improvements at Como Park Zoo & Conservatory, to ensure this beloved treasure is thriving for generations to come.

While the historic Como Zoo and the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory are two of St. Paul’s most beloved cultural treasures, only 16 percent of Como’s average 1.7 million annual visitors come from the Capital City. “An even larger number of visitors, more than 400,000 every year, are actually from greater Minnesota, and 15 percent come from outside the state,” says Michelle Furrer, Como’s Campus Director. “The sheer number of visitors to Como makes clear that we’re an important part of the tourism economy.” In fact, a 2015 study from Sapphire Consulting found that Como annually generates more than $162.7 million in economic impact for our region, along with nearly 2,100 jobs.

Just as important to Minnesota lawmakers, says Furrer, was the strong public/private partnership between Como Friends and Como Park Zoo and Conservatory. “Seeking state funding is a competitive process because there are so many needs across the state,” she says. “Having a strong track record of success working with Como Friends to build improvements like Polar Bear Odyssey and The Ordway Gardens definitely strengthened our case. It showed legislators that we had the community support behind us to leverage additional dollars to achieve our goals with Como Harbor.”

“We’re so proud of what our supporters have made possible in Como Harbor,” says Jackie Sticha. “Generous philanthropic gifts and public funding mean that transformational improvements are possible at Como without compromising our commitment to free admission and barrier-free access for everyone.”