Garfield Park Conservatory in Winter

Garfield Park Conservatory in Chicago is our winter oasis. Inside, we can remove our bulky jackets and enjoy brilliant blooms despite the normal bleakness this time of the year.

The conservatory consists of six greenhouses and two show halls. The expansive series of gardens provides the perfect warm weather infusion to help survive a harsh winter!

Waterfall and pond surrounded by Chihuly art 

There are water features throughout including this waterfall and pool dotted with Chihuly pieces.

The desert house is full of cacti and succulents small and large. It is a bit surreal to find a cactus flowering in Chicago in the dead of winter.

In the Sugar from the Sun Greenhouse, we love to look for fruiting trees. How about some oranges? We also spotted cacao and bananas.

Look up! Oranges!

On this visit, we took some time to enjoy the mangroves. Can you see the fish swimming in and out?

The Palm House is rather large and has all sorts of paths to explore in and out of the palms.

With such beautiful gardens, it is difficult to resist the temptation to walk through. While you cannot walk through, there are some paths throughout to allow you a little wandering.

The Fern Room is breathtakingly lush with ferns, moss and lichens all around.

Surrounded by a sea of emerald in the Fern Room

Walking through the Fern Room, you certainly feel like your are in a sea of emerald. A waterfall asks for a bit of a pause in serenity.

The water features throughout Garfield Park Conservatory are absolutely stunning. Stop and reflect for awhile:

Reflecting pool surrounded by lush greenery and the blaze of flowers.

A visit to the Garfield Park Conservatory in winter certainly uplifts even on the grayest of days. There is always something new in a bloom, so always something new to see! Plus, admission is free. You can't beat that! (Donations, though, are very much appreciated.)

Other tips:

• There is a lush children's area with educational elements, a large slide and more.
• The moisture in the palm house does wonders for colds.
• There is a gift shop.
• Plan to walk around a few times. You will love the warm weather without leaving Chicago!

**Disclosure: No compensation was received for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.