Garfield Park Conservatory

This room is the site of spectacular flower shows each year: the Spring, Summer, and Holiday Shows. All of the plant material displayed in the shows is grown at the Conservatory. This room was damaged in the June 30, 2011 hailstorm that caused unprecedented damage to the Conservatory. The Show House reopened in July 2014, with the original 1908 layout of the room restored.

The Show House is open during Conservatory Hours 9:00 am – 5:00 pm daily; Wednesdays till 8:00 pm.

In 1908, even before the other rooms of the Conservatory were planted, the Show House featured a special exhibit of spring flowers like tulips, azaleas, hyacinths and rhododendrons. The following year, the Conservatory hosted three flower shows in the Show House. The midwinter display celebrated the holidays with poinsettias, Glore de Lorraine (a rare begonia), the daisy-like cineraria and Christmas peppers; the autumn Chrysanthemum show featured hundreds of specimens of mums; and the spring show provided a profusion of blooming Easter lilies, golden daffodils and Persian violets.

Show House Renovations After the 2011 Hailstorm

After sustaining extensive damage from the 2011 hailstorm, the Show House has reopened with the original 1908 layout of the room restored. The temporary polycarbonate roofing installed after the hailstorm has been replaced by permanent glass. The reintroduction of seasonal flower shows in this room begins with the Holiday Flower Show in 2014.

Event Rentals

For that special occasion — weddings, reunions, business meetings — rent one of several Conservatory rooms or the entire Conservatory! The Show House is now available for private rental along with Horticulture Hall, presenting an opportunity for your guests to enjoy a seated dinner or mingling with passed hors d’oeuvres in a lush setting full of plants and flowers, regardless of the weather outside. Visit our Room Rental Information page for more details about choosing the Garfield Park Conservatory for your next private event.