Gargoyles, tow-headed dragon come alive at Phipps show
PITTSBURGH – Gargoyles, a two-headed dragon and a 100-eyed fellow called Argus are among the amazing creatures being featured in Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Garden’s new fall flower show called “Mums and Monsters.’ Running through Nov. 5, the show presents monsters that are topiaries created by conservatory staff who used a variety of plants, such as New Zealand Hair Sedge called “Frosted Curls’ for the Argus and Creeping Fig, Mondo Grass, Red Passion Flower and Bronze Fleece Chrysanthemums for the dragon.
“It’s interesting to see the reaction of people,’ said designer Michele Frye McCann. “When they enter the Serpentine Room and see the dragon, everybody’s jaw drops. It’s probably an unexpected show for Phipps. It’s a new twist.’
There’s frightful fun in this show that features such legendary creatures as a centaur, Medusa and Loch Ness Monster. But no need to worry.
“We have no bad monsters here,’ assured McCann with a smile. “If they get out of line, we don’t water them.’
Of course, Phipps takes the best care of its wonderful plants. There are 5,892 in this show -2,765 of which are mums in 47 different varieties.
They come in dazzling colors with fabulous names, such as Seaton’s Toffee, a Bronze Quill Chrysanthemum; Symphony, a Lavender Garden Chrysanthemum; Coral Reef, a Coral Spider Disbud Mum; Midas Time Yellow, a Yellow Pot Mum; Golden Rain, a Yellow Spider Disbud Mum; Spicy Cheryl, an Orange Pot Mum; and Jamestown, a Lavender Pot Chrysanthemum.
The conservatory’s newly finished production greenhouses have allowed Phipps to bring back cascading mums, which had been absent from shows for a couple of years.
The fall show includes such varieties as the orange-colored Vernal Falls, bright red Firefall, rose-colored Rose Maiko, yellow Gumdrop and Pink Fleece.
Among all these beautiful mums are an enchanting collection of mythical beasts collected from folktales and legends of Europe, Africa, Australia and Asia.
“Each room features a different monster. We tried to pull out different things that kids are familiar with – They’ve all seen ‘Chronicles of Narnia’ and ‘Harry Potter.’ Some of them talked about ‘Clash of the Titans’ with the Medusa,’ said McCann, noting the creatures can all be found in popular books and films.
To enhance the mystery, the show incorporates a lot of dark foliage – black, deep purple and dark red – McCann noted.
Here is a look at some highlights of the conservatory rooms:
– Palm Court: Visitors are welcomed into the show where they find a unicorn, made from Sedge and Kidney Weed. McCann noted that people would hunt the unicorn for its blood, which was said to have magical powers. Unicorns are featured in the Narnia and Harry Potter tales.
– Serpentine Room: Making its home here is the two-headed dragon from African myth. With a head at each end, he could move in either direction and one head could sleep while the other protected its eggs.
Dragons are found in myth from China and Japan to Africa and Europe, and have appeared in the Harry Potter series.
“When you come in, the idea is that the dragon swallows you. But no worries, you come out the other head,’ said McCann, who created a female dragon head on one end with blue eyes and a male dragon head on the other end with red eyes, a mustache and hair growing out of his ears.
– Fern Room: Look for a dark topiary cat made from Black Mondo Grass and Chocolate Chip Ajuga reptans with Horse Chestnuts for eyes that lurks among the mums.
A sign notes, “Although you may have heard that black cats are unlucky, they are actually considered good luck in many cultures. To the Ancient Egyptians, cats were kingly animals. In Latvian tradition, farmers like to have black cats around because they believe they embody the spirit of the god of harvests. In England and Japan, a black cat crossing your path is good luck.’
The room also includes displays of plastic owls, a feature of the Harry Potter tales as well as a companion to Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom.
– Orchid Room: A centaur, made from dried leaves and Creeping Fig, is found here. Half-man, half-horse, the centaur, explained the educational sign, was considered wild, lusty and brutal in Greek mythology but was found to be an excellent warrior in Narnia.
– Stove Room: Here is a recreation of a stone sculpture from an old park called Sacred Wood or Monster Park in Bomarzo, Italy, that dates back to the 1500s.
– South Conservatory: Naga, the five-headed serpent, is found slithering around the water pool. Made of Seizan Gold Cascade Mums and Goldilocks Creeping Jenny, Naga is a gigantic mythical snake that often appears in the Mekong River, according to Thailand legend.
An educational sign noted that Naga sheltered Buddha from rain while he was meditating and another story says when a statute of Buddha fell into the river from a capsized boat, Naga has been protecting the statue ever since.
Buddha had a major spiritual breakthrough, leading to enlightenment, while sitting under a Bodhi Tree, which also is in this room. The South Conservatory contains an ornamental pepper called the Black Pearl as well as Mai dat, the art of making clipped trees found in formal gardens of Thailand.
This room highlights Thailand in anticipation of the Dec. 9 opening of the new Tropical Forest, which will feature Thailand. Officials will explore a different country in the Tropical Forest every two years.
– Fruit and Spice Room: Visitors can find Argus, the 100-eyed monster of Greek mythology who was a servant to Hera and guard to Io, one of Zeus’s nymphs. He was a good watchman because only a few of his eyes would sleep at a time.
Also look for Japanese flower arrangements made by members of Ikebana International in the Fruit and Spice Room and the Gallery.
– Gallery: Cerebus, a three-headed dog who guarded the gates of the Underworld in Greek mythology, is found here made of Chocolate chip Ajuga reptans, Toffee Twist Sedge, Platt’s Black Leptinella squalida and Sweet Gum Liquidambar styraciflua.
“We’re trying to create a dark, eerie feel here,’ McCann said. “There’s a lot of dark, coarse-textured foliage in the room. The plants look like they’re dying as you approach the gates. But it’s brown grass. It’s not really dying. There’s dark-red mums. The room is dripping with dark foliage as you come towards Cerebus.’
– Sunken Garden: A 100-foot-long rainbow snake, made of Ogon and Wild Thyme, from Australian Aboriginal mythology is seen slinking over the central water fountain. Legend said the snake was in charge of fertility, growth and refreshing rain. See the cascading mums, salvia and Compact Sonic Red New guinea Impatiens.
– Victoria Room: A rock-like sculpture of Medusa, whom Greek legend said could turn all living creatures to stone, rests in the middle of the popular fountain, which visitors can control to make water come out of her eyes and mouth. The room also contains a topiary of Pegasus, her offspring, made of Baby’s Breath.
– Broderie Room: Gargoyles, which have played a significant role in European literature and culture, can be found in this room. They are protectors to ward away evil spirits. Some of the most famous appear on the cathedral of Notre Dame in France.
– East Room: The Loch Ness Monster, made from a variety of plants including Black Knight Echeveria affinis and Mondo Grass, can be found in this long, narrow deep lake from northern Scotland. Rose Maiko Chrysanthemum can be seen on the castle in the background.
As part of the show, children can play a game searching for black cats throughout the conservatory and visitors can use their cell phones to dial up more information on certain plants.
The conservatory will offer a family-friendly Halloween party called Halloween Happenings on Oct. 28 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Phipps Conservatory is located in Schenley Park and is open year-round, daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
For more information about the show, call Phipps at 412-622-6914.