Out and About in Fort Wayne, Part I
Foellinger Freimann Botanical Conservatory

As we were only a block from the F&F Conservatory,
I decided that would be my first stop on Friday.

This is a nice three - green house botanical indoor garden.

While I have been to nicer botanical gardens in larger cities,
this is a nice one for this size town.

First we must savor the approach.

I love this piece of art work.

As well as the art of the natural world.

And now we arrive.

Or not.
More art.
And more plants.

Many parts of the conservatory are geared towards the young
at heart and mind.

The Butterfly Exhibit was going on while I visited.

First I was checked to make sure that I didn't
bring in any unauthorized butterflies with me.
Then I was allowed into the tent with the flutterby's,
with the strict instructions that I was not to step on any of them.

Got it.

Bue Morpho?

The guide that the conservatory had listed
did not correlate to the
butterflies that they had in the collection.

Zebra Mosaic Butterfly.

After I was once again checked to make sure that
I wasn't harboring illegal butterflies on my person,
I was allowed to continue on my tour.

And now on with the botanical gardens.

This is an angel's trumpet tree.

As this plant is related to nightshades,
all parts of the plant are poisonous.

Danger, danger, Will Robinson.

Staghorn fern.

Cycads.

Cycads are often referred to as living fossils and for good reason.

Cycads were around when dinosaurs roamed the earth.
Cycads are some of the oldest surviving plants on earth today.

Bromeliads on parade.

A "tree" made out of iron spikes.

Croton.

Cardamom.

Begonia.

Pomegranate.

Crown of Thorns.

The third environs.

The dessert.

Saguara cactaus.

Prickly pear cactus.

Organ Pipe cactus.

Brittle Brush.

The outside gardens.

The day I was here, it was drizzling outside.

Better than inside, I guess.

Next up, the tour that wasn't and other fun stuff.