Great Garden Visits - Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Garden

Around the circle.

A Grand Circle tour is not complete without visiting the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Garden. That’s what we discovered. Our aim was to explore some of the well-known and not-so-well-known gardens along the Grand Circle route through the Southwest, to study low-maintenance xeriscapes and fascinating plants. At the end, we included a walk through the high-maintenance Bellagio.

It made sense to begin and end at Las Vegas. The flights were cheap. The temperature in May was bearable. The accommodation at an AirBnB in Henderson, NV was pleasant. Las Vegas was the ideal point of departure and return.

Going against the flow

We found ourselves doing that a lot, no matter which direction we walked. We ducked the rave crowd streaming to the Electric Daisy Carnival.

"Does her mother know she's dressed like that?", asked a grandmother nearby.

"She might be a mother", said another.

We strove against the tide crossing pedestrian bridges, and wondered "Where are all these people going? What do they know that we don’t know?" We wriggled away from the crush around the Fountains of Bellagio. When others were headed for the slot machines and shows, we were looking for gardens and a slower pace. As it turned out, so were some others.

About the Conservatory and Garden

We found the conservatory across the lobby from the front desk of the Bellagio. A glass ceiling rises up to 50 feet and is supported by a sculpted green metal verdigris framework set in floral patterns. Several garden-themed shops surround the space.

Everything is covered with flowers. It reminded me of the floats in the Rose Bowl parade. A large staff maintains the garden, changing designs with the seasons and events. The seasons begin with the Chinese New Year, followed by spring cherry blossoms. Flowers, foliage, textures and fragrances complement all seasons. As advertised, “This ever-changing natural display is the single most significant component of Bellagio’s design, fulfilling the promise of creating the most extraordinary hotel in the world.”

Here’s a taste of what’s in store.

  

Makes you want to see it for yourself, doesn't it?

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