Conservatory
Conservatory
Please note: The Conservatory is closed until 2026 as we expand the Garden during our THRIVE campaign.
The Conservatory is the “Jewel of the Garden.” This 11,000 square-foot complex houses exotic and unusual plants from around the world in its permanent collection and features beautiful seasonal displays.
Crowned by a 63-foot-tall dome, the Conservatory includes a central Palm House housing our palm and cycad collection; the semi-tropical East Wing features tropical plants, including our orchid collection; our cacti and succulent collection is on display in the West Wing; and the North Wing hosts changing themed displays full of seasonal color and interest including a holiday tree during Dominion GardenFest of Lights.
The Conservatory was built through the generous donations of Nancy and Bruce Gottwald; Libby and Floyd Gottwald; and the Gottwald Foundation. The Conservatory was finished in 2003 and dedicated to the memory of their mother, Anne Cobb Gottwald.
Conservatory Interior
The Conservatory blooms year-round. The Orchid Wing is lush and lovely with more than 200 blooming orchids spread throughout the display. In addition, it highlights interesting tropical plants and a cascading waterfall feature.
Conservatory Interior
The West Wing of the Conservatory is a display wing with lots of interest and color. It changes out seasonally around a cottage garden theme, with a real thatched cottage as the centerpiece.
Ornamental Grass Garden
The Ornamental Grass Garden replaced approximately 9,000 square-feet of traditional turfgrass with attractive, low maintenance native grasses. This garden showcases sustainable best-practices in one of the most prominent sites at the Garden. Once established, native grasses gardens require little-to-no watering and will reduce stormwater runoff by encouraging infiltration of rain water into the local water table. These grasses also provide valuable habitat and food for insects, birds and larger animals, encouraging a more robust local ecosystem.
Water Lily Pools
Flanking the front entrance of the Conservatory, the Water Lily Pools house a seasonal display of aquatic plants, both native and exotic, while the hardy and non-hardy water lilies steal the show.
Conservatory Interior
Step into the Conservatory and step into another world. The Central Palm House greets guests with stunning seasonal displays year-round.
ATRIUM
The West Entrance Atrium is a fully conditioned threshold space, welcoming visitors to the expanded portion of the Conservatory. An organic gathering place for large groups, the Atrium will contain guest comfort amenities such as seating and restrooms. A flexible nexus from which guests can “choose their own adventure,” the Atrium is the gateway to exploration of the Subtropical House, Rainforest House, Butterfly Emergence Galley and Exhibition Gallery.
MEDITERRANEAN HOUSE
The Mediterranean House is home to the ___ collection. It showcases our beautiful, hot-pink-blooming bougainvillea, as well as various other iconic plants located in the Mediterranean region of the world.
DESERT HOUSE
The transformation of the current West Wing of the Conservatory into a Desert House will showcase plants from deserts located around the world. Designed by Catalina LaFrance, the Desert House will provide a climatic zone diametric to central Virginia. The modularity of cacti, succulents and agave will create visual impact and a living classroom for educational opportunities that include water conservation and climate change.
SUBTROPICAL HOUSE
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Follow the link below to learn more about our permanent Butterfly exhibit: Rabble Rousers!
TROPICAL RAINFOREST HOUSE
An endangered ecosystem, Tropical Rainforests are often called the “lungs of the planet” and are essential to the lives of all people and animals. The creation of a two-story Rainforest House in the expanded Conservatory will bring together a wide variety of tropical ecosystem species such as cacao trees, coffee plants, orchids and palms. Visitors can gaze down upon the forest floor from the canopy, creating an immersive view of this “water-maker” ecosystem.