Muttart Conservatory, Botanical garden in Edmonton, Canada.
Muttart Conservatory is a botanical garden in Edmonton featuring four glass pyramids that house distinct plant environments. The structures contain more than 700 species from tropical, temperate, and arid regions and sit along the North Saskatchewan river valley.
Construction began in 1976 with support from the Gladys and Merrill Muttart Foundation, the Government of Alberta, and Edmonton's city government. The project emerged from the city's commitment to developing a major center for botanical education and research.
The pyramids are named for their biomes: Tropical, Temperate, Arid and the seasonal Feature pyramid. The Temperate pyramid holds a bog with white water lilies and parrot's feather, plus redwoods, cedars and eucalyptus. The Tropical pyramid has a central waterfall with small fish and water lilies, and once housed a kiwi bird and a sloth. The Culina Muttart Café uses herbs and salad greens grown on-site.
Entry is through a central foyer connecting the four glass structures, allowing visitors to move between the different biomes. Wear comfortable shoes since you will walk through various environments with different temperatures and humidity levels.
The Agave americana in the Arid Pyramid was planted a year after the conservatory opened and bloomed in spring 2013, sending a flower spike about 30 feet (9 m) up until it met the top of the pyramid. The plant dies after flowering, so the event could not be repeated with the same specimen.
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