Apartments near Rockefeller Park Greenhouse in Cleveland, OH (278 Rentals)
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Two thumbs up for the Rockefeller Park Greenhouse, an amazing collection of indoor and outdoor gardens that will bring delight to all Cleveland apartment-ites. A Botanical garden with specialty plant collections, seasonal floral displays, and theme gardens are all here to see at this expansive park on Lake Erie. The photos on the greenhouse website don't do justice to this beautiful oasis in Cleveland, and since it offers free admission, why not go by and see it? As the name implies, the 270 acres of land for the park were donated by none other than industrialist John D. Rockefeller in 1902. The original plans for the land were to provide a space for the city of Cleveland to grow plants for the landscaping of parks and other city locations. And while city beautification is still a goal of the park, the possibilities to make the space available to the public has evolved and thrived to now offer the gorgeous spaces for the public to view. One of six seeds brought from Japan in the 1960's grew into the metasequoia, or Dawn Redwood tree in the beautiful Japanese Garden, a highlight of the park. This picturesque garden recreates a Japanese courtyard with its bamboo hut, gently running water basin, and a pond. The Greenhouse of course is a destination to see, featuring exotic orchids and bromeliads displayed in bloom; tropical fruits and palms including citrus trees and banana plants; a variety of ferns and a sunken carpet of baby tears; the southwestern desert setting of the cactus house; and seasonal flowers in the main showhouse featuring spectacular holiday poinsettias, spring bulbs, and flowering plant displays throughout the year. It's tough to emulate such a lively plant experience at your Cleveland apartment. A wonderful experience at the park is the Betty Ott Talking Garden. It uses tape-recorded descriptions to guide sight-impaired visitors, but the appeal is that plants here are chosen for their recognition of all the senses - sight, smell, sound, touch and hearing. A raised bed invites visitors to touch and smell the plants, and signs give information in both Roman and Braille type. Only a few such special-interest gardens exist in the US. Other gardens are the Mall, with clipped hedges around a grassy area with statues of the seasons in the four corners, the Latin American garden featuring succulents, cacti and flowering plants found in Central and South America, and a Peace Garden, an old fashioned set-up with a gazebo and rose, herb and perennial gardens. By the way, if you're getting married and looking for a cool place to have it, the greenhouse is a rentable location for a mere $150 and can accomodate up to 75 people. If you just need a "green" background in an otherwise snowy city for special engagement, wedding or new baby photo, the greenhouse, again, is available for rent at just $75, better than your couch at your Cleveland apartment!