A host of recent improvements at the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory are promoting plant health and elevating the visitor experience at the same time.
Finding time to renovate a busy space is a challenge familiar to many homeowners. But at the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory, one of Minnesota’s most visited destinations, scheduling repairs is a next-level headache, says horticultural supervisor Ariel Dressler.
“When we look at the calendar, we’re usually booked for weddings and other events every week of the year,” she says. But when her staff saw an opening emerging between the end of June and the 4th of July holiday, campus leaders quickly seized the opportunity to schedule some long-awaited repairs in the Sunken Garden, Como’s busiest and most beautiful room.
To make the most of the limited time available, Como coordinated with multiple contractors at once. “We had one contractor to do glass repair, another to repair the vent motor and arms, and then, because we had the whole room scaffolded, we knew it was a chance to do a deep cleaning on the star lights, and to update the wiring,” she says. With the whole room in a state of upheaval, it was also a great time to send the bronze statue Play Days off to conservators to make a small repair to one of the frog spouts.
While visitors are unlikely to notice many of these improvements when the Sunken Garden reopens on June 9, horticulturists are excited by the repairs, all part of a series of infrastructure improvements made possible, in part, by Como Friends over the past year.
Creating better ventilation within the Conservatory’s gardens and growing spaces has been a particular focus as rising temperatures put stress on plants—even those accustomed to tropical climates. In recent months, the Sunken Garden, the Fern Room, and the Orchid House have all seen substantial repairs to ventilation systems that are tied to the Conservatory’s Priva system, the computerized control network that allows staff to automate and monitor temperatures and airflow across rooms.
“We’ve been through a couple of really hot summers where a sunny day can generate temperatures of 100 degrees in our Conservatory rooms, so any window you can open is much appreciated,” Dressler says, noting that new exhaust fans are also on the way for the Fern Room. “It’s hard to keep ferns happy during heat waves, so this will be a big improvement.”
In a structure made entirely of glass, creating shade for plants that require it is also critical. This season, the Orchid House got a major shade upgrade that’s protecting plants from leaf bleaching and other problems that come from overexposure. In the greenhouse, the Conservatory has replaced shades in two growing bays with systems that allow for taller plants while helping to melt snow and ice from the greenhouse roof. A new blackout curtain also allows horticulturists to precisely control daylight hours for chrysanthemums grown for Como’s Fall Flower Show and poinsettias grown for the Holiday Flower Show.
While visitors may never notice new glass panes, vents, and shades, Dressler says they may notice the impact of these improvements in the months ahead. “It may not seem that exciting to our guests, but to gardeners we know these investments are really going to help the foliage appearance and plant health overall,” she says.
Thank you for your support in helping the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory’s plants and gardens thrive!
