Five days and 1000 pictures later…

The Bellagio Conservatory was a beehive of activity during my stay there from the 5th through the weekend to March 8th.

Hard Hat Horticulturists (HHH?) with gloved hands and serious looks are everywhere within the nearly 14,000 square foot Conservatory. About 100 people from the engineering and horticultural department were working 24 hours a day to complete the spring transformation. Although most of the Conservatory was closed to foot traffic for the three days I was there, access was gradually allowed in stages until, finally by Sunday, the work was complete, and utterly breathtaking. The sights and scents were dizzying, as I elbowed my way around to gain some shooting space. I love the poppies so I lingered there mostly. If you think about the gorgeous Dale Chihuly glass  ceiling at the main entrance, you have to look no further than the Conservatory for what may have been his inspiration.

This change-out occurs five times a year (Chinese New Year, Spring, Summer, Harvest and Holiday). It’s part art lab, part construction zone. I’m still trying to figure out how they got a giant crane inside.  Flowers and plants for the Conservatory are replaced and refreshed every two weeks, many are watered by hand.

Bellagio does not comment on how much they spend to change and maintain the space, but its worth the price for the sensory break it gives its patrons. Walk only a few yards out of the smoky chaos of the casino and lose yourself in the pristine air and placid environment of the Conservatory.

Now more eye candy…enjoy. EM (pictures were taken with the remarkable Leica D-Lux 2)