Botanical Conservatory’s new exhibit honors old traditions
By: Rebecca Brosnan
The Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory revealed its newest seasonal exhibit to the public on Nov. 20.
Reminiscent of Christmases long long ago, the theme of this year’s holiday exhibit is "Victorian Christmas." The conservatory’s manager and horticulturalist, Rebecca Canales, said the goal of the display is to create feelings of nostalgia, warmth and wonder in guests.
Along with honoring classic holiday traditions by including decorations like Santa’s sleigh, poinsettias and towering pine trees, Canales said the exhibit will introduce a variety of new features.
“We've never had a Victorian Christmas tree,” Canales said. “I’m just in awe of this 12 foot tree that they’ve just finished in the atrium.”
Other new attractions include a village plaza with storefronts that guests can peer into to see handmade decorations and Victorian era artifacts on loan from The History Center. A particularly noteworthy addition is the grand parlor which Canales said is one of the biggest projects ever constructed for an exhibit at the conservatory.
Due to the large scale of the display, Canales said at least 50 people were involved in its construction and installation, including electricians, carpenters, greenhouse staff and volunteers.
In addition to the large amount of manpower, Canales said time was a big factor in successfully constructing the exhibit.
While it may seem like the display magically appeared overnight, Eric Ummel, the landscape supervisor for the Fort Wayne parks and recreation department said planning began before last Christmas was even over.
Despite all the time and energy it takes to create the display, Canales said it is all worth it when she gets to stand back and see the looks of wonder and excitement on people’s faces as they experience the exhibit for the first time.
People will be able to view the “Victorian Christmas” display until Jan. 6. Other holiday themed events at the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory include Garden in Lights, Carolers at the Conservatory, the Suzuki Strings Holiday Concert and more.
Additional information regarding admission prices and dates of the events can be found on the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory website.
Five popular Christmas traditions that originated during the Victorian era based on information presented by bbc.co.uk.