On the sixth day of Christmas, a holiday trip to Seymour

You may remember my post about the Seymour Conservatory at Wright Park in Tacoma here.   It's a great place to visit when it's cold and gray outside.  Recently Alison from Bonnie Lassie and I visited the conservatory.  Because I totally messed up the time, we didn't see it together (yes, I'm that stupid) but, being the gracious person she is, Alison has agreed to give me a second chance to meet her.  Anyway,  here are some pictures.   Much of the inside space was taken up by Santa, a photographer and folks dressed in Victorian costumes as there was a special Dickens event going on.

Careful where you step!  This guy is waiting to eat, I mean great you.   

The Musa are nestled all snug in their bed,

While visions of springtime dance in their pseudostems.  Can you believe how green they still are?

Every year when I see these blooming in November/December, I swear to get some  for my own garden but somehow never do.  Pretty cool aren't they. Is that Bishop's weed around them?

 

The conservatory is popular with tourists from a variety of locations.

As one steps inside, the first thing (s)he notices is the mingled fragrance of the lemon tree in bloom and the paperwhites peppered through the red, white, and green display.  Notice the lacy leaves of the amorphophallus; when it blooms the fragrance will be somewhat less pleasant unless you're a carrion fly.

 There is a plant sale area in the conservatory and Poinsettia 'Winter Rose' seemed to be quite a hit.  I saw quite a few of them walking out during my visit. (No silly, not on their own; people were carrying them.)

In the tropical section, there were  a few orchids in bloom.  While orchids in pots are lovely, I find them much more interesting when they are cascading from palms and other tropical plants much like they would in nature.

Are we in paradise?  These birds seem to think so.

Nothing screams tropical like Birds of Paradise and Anthurium.

 Bright tropical rhodendron.  We'll have similar ones blooming outside in a few weeks!

An interestingly toothed monster reminds us to stay on the paths!

If you're ever in the area, do check out the conservatory at Wright Park and give a holler, I could probably hear you from my house!

 

Walking back to the car, this gorgeous grass, growing between the sidewalk and a chain link fence caught my eye.  Such Weber-worthy beauty!

 

Someday I hope to be able to capture the beauty of grasses as well as Scott but for now, this will have to do.