By DELANEY McCARTY The Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory, or more commonly referred to as “The Domes,” is an oasis among the concrete desert of Milwaukee. You may be able to see their blue lights glowing at night from Marquette’s campus just beyond Valley Field. The Domes consist of three separate acres of land each covered by an 85-foot-tall glass dome, housing thousands of different plant species. Each dome contains a specific theme that is unique from its city surroundings. The Show Dome, first established in December 1964, transforms into a new theme five times a year. The current theme, Railroad to Wonderland, models the famous story of Alice in Wonderland, with giant mushrooms and a tea party mixed in among colorful flowers. A fun bonus is following four garden-sized trains as you accompany Alice during her journey through Wonderland! This show, just like every theme that is cycled in and out in the Show Dome, takes careful planning and designing to put together a magnificent work of natural art. Hundreds of colorful flowers, like lilies, tulips, poinsettias, and roses are featured depending on the time of year and featured theme. Next, the Tropical Dome, finished February 1966, feels like stepping into a rainforest – birds are calling, toads are croaking, and the air inside is kept humid through an elaborate sprinkler system on the dome’s ceiling. Tropical fruit trees bear star fruit, guava, and plantains. The forest canopy overhead is filled with epiphytes, which are plants that use other plants for physical support. These plants, like bromeliads and vanilla, attach and vine to the tree branches above, creating a sky of green. A koi pond can be found surrounded by orchids, ferns, and a unique flower called Birds of Paradise. The smells inside this dome are simply amazing. You’ll almost forget you’re in Wisconsin! Lastly, the Desert Dome completed the trio in October 1967. The most stunning part of this dome is the number of cacti and succulents thriving throughout the entire area. The Desert Dome contains one of the largest collections native plant species from Madagascar, such as Catharanthus roseus, a pretty little pink flower among the sea of dusty greens and browns. Other featured plants come from Africa, Canary Islands, and South and North America. This dome also contains a pond, called The Oasis, with aquatic papyrus plants sprouting out of the water. By the shore, chili peppers grow and thrive in the hot, arid climate. A winter coat is not needed in this dome. The Mitchell Park Domes are an amazing way to escape the cold while also learning about many different plant species that come from around the world. Just being able to walk around on the trails and enjoy the different climates is a fun getaway from Milwaukee’s snowy streets. Admission is $8 per person, so get some friends together and take a trip to The Domes the next time the snowy blues are getting you down! References: https://milwaukeedomes.org/ Friends of the Domes. “Milwaukee's Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory.” Milwaukee's Mitchell Park Domes, Waterford Design Technologies, 2018, milwaukeedomes.org.
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