Conservatory of Flowers (The Post That Almost Didn't Happen)

Have you ever gotten an email from a friend that you meant to reply to right away, but you didn't? Every time you thought about replying, you wanted to send some great response, sharing some funny story about something crazy that just happened to you at Target.  You felt the need to have something meaningful to say, so you kept putting it off until you did.  Pretty soon it was three months later, and you felt like you had to come up with a reason why you hadn't yet responded, because why couldn't you just have sent an email right back in the first place?  You finally realized that it didn't have to be insightful and witty, it just had to be a response.   Well this post is my delayed email, only instead of three months later, it is three years.  

I had always been curious about the Conservatory of Flowers, a giant greenhouse on the east end of Golden Gate Park.  The building itself is beautiful, as are the grounds around it.  One day I noticed a giant dinosaur head poking out of the roof, and I figured it was time to explore the place.  

The inside was as beautiful as the outside.  Flowers everywhere. Exotic plants.  Light coming in through the ceiling and walls.  The best part was the special exhibit at the end, filled with prehistoric plants.  There was a loud roaring coming from the room where the exhibit was being held, and the children around me seemed to have a look of fear and wonder in their eyes. This was the room with the dinosaur head poking out of the roof.

At the end of my visit, I had hundreds of pictures.  I kept trying to sort through them so I could post the best of them.  I couldn't decide.  There were so many rooms, and I couldn't keep all of the species straight.  I kept trying to force myself to sit down and  put a post together, but if you have a blog you know that these things can't be forced. 

So here we are, three years and several special exhibits later, and I still have this incredible place inside the city that I want to share with you.  The post is still picture heavy, but I tried to keep only my favorites.  Of course, the dinosaurs are at the end.     

Note: If you visit today, the place is largely the same.  It is the special exhibit at the end that changes.