The town of Davis is widely known for being home to one of California's top ranking hospital and research centers. UC Davis Medical Center is a learning medical hospital part of the University of California in Davis. What many people don't know is that UC Davis started as a University Farm School, focusing their teachings on agriculture. The town of Davis rich with ideal fertile farming land and excellent growing temperatures, is perfect for both animal and plant agriculture to flourish. The UC includes strong Environmental Horticulture and Botanical Science departments.
The UC Davis Botanical Conservatory is located on the University's campus and helps support many classes and experiments. The conservatory is open to the public, Monday-Friday 9:00-5:00. Self tours are permitted during business hours and these spectacular greenhouses are well worth visiting.
The Botanical Conservatory is a plant lover's paradise, with it's three spacious glass and metal greenhouses filled to the brim with over 3,000 different species of plants,
Gigantic breathtaking staghorn ferns and hanging Spanish moss cover the entryway into the first greenhouse. Looking up, the glass ceilings and walls let in the perfect amount of soft ambient light.
These beauties contain a huge variety of tropicals, ferns, cacti, succulents, bonsai's, and even an unique, extensive collection of carnivorous plants.
Every room has it's own specific temperature and humidity to create optimum growing environments perfect for each climate. Walking around is as if stepping right into a dewy, tropical rain forest, yet with one slide of a door it's as dry and hot as a blazing desert.
The textures, colors and diversity of all the plants is truly entrancing. Thorny cacti with their varying spines, to the soft velvet like feel of the staghorn ferns, each texture different from the last. From the sagey greens of the succulents, to rich vibrant greens of the tropical foliage, every shade of green is present.
Enjoying a day at the UC Davis Botanical Conservatory was a surprising and beautiful experience. There is nothing quite like discovering so many botanical variations in one easy to find area. Spending hours getting lost in these indoor greenhouses would be easy or it could be done in a quick 30 minute visit.
The best part is it is free! Make sure to stop by and get your plant fix in these amazing gardens next time you are going through Davis, California.
To shop these fashion styles check out HEX in Grass Valley, Ca 95945. We also carry a wide collection of house plants including: staghorn ferns, cacti, succulents and many varieties of house plants.
PHOTOGRAPHY | Angela Nunnink Photography MODEL | Cait Di Conti HAIR & MAKEUP | Angela Nunnink
CLOTHING | Hex LOCATION | UC Davis Botanical Conservatory ADDRESS | 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95616