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Index to Washington:  Page 0: Highlights ~ map ~ 1 ~ 2 ~ 3 ~ 4 ~ 5 ~ 6 ~ 7

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Volunteer Park Conservatory

Left: Pink orchid flowers in the Volunteer Park Conservatory, Seattle, Washington.


Volunteer Park Conservatory (telephone 206-684-4743) is located at 1400 E. Galer Street, Seattle, Washington. The City of Seattle first acquired this land at the highest point (444 feet elevation) of Capitol Hill neighborhood in 1878 from a sawmill engineer. The Olmsted brothers, famous landscape architects, helped redesign the park. In 1901 City Park was renamed Volunteer Park to honor the volunteers who served in the Spanish-American War (1898-1902). The Conservatory was completed in 1912, and has been entirely renovated from 1980 to the present, showing 6200 square feet of public plant displays.The oldest plants on display now are probably the Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta) and the Jade Tree (Crassula argentea), both over 75 years old.


Five yellow petals form each trumpet shaped flower in the Volunteer Park Conservatory, Seattle, Washington.


Left: Frilly ruffled pink orchid flowers in the Volunteer Park Conservatory, Seattle, Washington.


Left: The Ti Plant (Cordyline terminalis) is native from Eastern Asia to Polynesia. For many centuries this plant has been used by the Hawaiian people for spiritual and psychic protection. There are approximately 20 species of Cordyline, which is in the agave family, Agaveaceae. Volunteer Park Conservatory, Seattle, Washington.