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Bloedel Floral Conservatory
Category: Active Life Parks Parks [Edit]
Queen Elizabeth Park4600 Cambie St
Vancouver, BC V6J 5L1
Neighbourhood: Riley Park
(604) 257-8584
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 10 am - 5 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
18 reviews for Bloedel Floral Conservatory
18 reviews in English
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Review from Eugene G.
1/14/2012
This is a nice pit stop along enjoying Queen Elizabeth Park. There are various types of birds in the conservatory and tropical plants, trees, and vegetation. There were two birds in particular that I liked, unfortunately I don't remember their names, but they looked like the most colorful chicken and roosters I've ever seen. The rooster like bird had a long tail and he strutted around like he owned the place. If it wasn't for me standing in front of exit gate I think the bird was looking to make a get away and join his cousin ducks in the pond down the hill in Queen Elizabeth park.
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Review from Craig R.
11/26/2011
We came by the conservatory to avoid the pouring rain outside and try to enjoy a bit of Vancouver at the same time. We were very happy with our visit. It was around 12 dollars for the two of to get in and as others have mentioned, you can walk around or stay as long as you want.
At first it may appear relatively small, but in reality it is the second largest domed conservatory in the world! Crazy! There are an endless number of plants growing in here from all over the world. Some of them have beautiful flowers and the entire place is obviously well kept as everything looks to be in quite good shape.
I have to say my favorite part of the trip was the large number of birds that roam around the dome. I think the guide boasts 60+, we probably only saw 10 or 15, but you can see them so close up! Some of the parrots and other birds (like a Gold Chinese Pheasant) just stand right in the pathway. It makes it super easy to take pictures of them and get a really close up view.
If you've got a rainy day and you like flowers/plants/birds definitely make a stop here. -
Review from Nicole F.
1/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
My drawing class was here for a field trip last week. Apparently a few other field trips were happening around the same time because it was pretty busy!
It was my first time and I was very excited to go. For some reason (my guess is laziness) I never bothered before. And admission was only about $3.50 too. Wow.
I was surprised at the size of the place, because I was expecting something much larger, but it's actually really small and adorable.
There are little pathways all the way through this humid little urban jungle and big beautiful flowers, many of which I've never even heard of. One in particular that I thought was pretty cool was the Mimosa pudica, which shrivels up and makes itself all tiny when you touch it. I overheard one of the employees explaining to a kid that it was to prevent being eaten by Giraffes because their heads knock into it, and if they think the plant is dehydrated they won't touch it! Neat.
I was also pleasantly surprised to see that they had Oleanders! They weren't in bloom but I'll definitely be making a trip back to see the flowers.
There were also a lot of Macaws, Budgies and I saw one African Grey Parrot. One of the Macaws was named Art and he did a cute little head bobbing dance for everyone as they walked past. Heh.
PS, I bet the Bloedel Conservatory would be a fantastic place to take a date! -
Review from C. G.
Vancouver, BC
10/19/2011
Awesome short attention span event for young or old. Get those preschoolers and or grannies in the car and take them to the Bloedel Floral Conservatory for an hour of wonder. It is the perfect size and scope to fit between naps. Wander and wonder at the parrots, Koi fish, and exotic plants and flowers. Pick up a Scavenger Hunt sheet to engage the group. Might need to bring snacks for the young, or head to Seasons in the Park for lunch with a view if your companions will sit still long enough. $5.60 for adults $3.50 and even lower for students/seniors. BEST DEAL IN TOWN.
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Review from Trudi C.
What a view!! Not much to say really! Absolutely breathtaking, wonderful with all the flowers in bloom at this time of year :) Couldn't find anywhere to park our bikes though :(
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Review from Justin C.
9/1/2010 147 photos
The Bloedel Floral Conservatory is a pretty amazing place; I cannot believe they almost had to shut down due to lack of funding. Actually, I can almost believe that, because I had a hell of a time finding it, despite knowing exactly where it was supposed to be, and I have a feeling that once you see it as a local there's really little reason to come back. This was my second stop of the day in Vancouver, and it's located just inside (http://www.flickr.com/...) of Queene Elizabeth Park (just type that in your GPS, don't try to use the address on Yelp). It's about $2 to park, and another $5 to go inside, but I think it's worth it just for how unique it is.
It was a bit quizzical to me finding a mock tropical jungle in the middle of Vancouver, and even more so considering the surrounding park which is full of beautiful Japanese maples (http://www.flickr.com/...), creating a very interesting contrast once you step inside. Somehow though, it still works. When you walk through the entrance of the giant domed (http://www.flickr.com/...) structure you are transported to another world, vibrant with color, washing away the drabness that existed on the cold, drizzly (http://www.flickr.com/...) February day I was visiting. The staff was very friendly, took my umbrella for me, handed me a nice brochure on the place, and even gave me recommendations on where else to go in the city if I had time after.
The biggest disappointment, and really my only complaint here, is that the selection of actual flowers was pretty limited. For a place labeled as a floral conservatory I really expected a lot more. What was there was quite pretty though, with a decent selection of bromeliads (http://www.flickr.com/...), Asiatic lilies (http://www.flickr.com/...), and orchids (http://www.flickr.com/...). The number of other unique non-flowering tropical plants was actually much higher, with many interesting subjects I had never before seen (http://www.flickr.com/...). There were even a few random cactus beds thrown in for variety (http://www.flickr.com/...).
I'm pretty sure most everyone's favorite reason for coming (whether they realize before or after) though is all of the birds. They (http://www.flickr.com/...) are pretty much everywhere you look, in beautiful striking colors (http://www.flickr.com/...). Many of them have made themselves quite comfortable in their roosts (http://www.flickr.com/...), and others will just walk (http://www.flickr.com/...) right up to you (http://www.flickr.com/...) and let out a loud shriek to let you know who's boss.
I was also really surprised by how well the humidity was controlled here. In other tropical greenhouse type structures I've been almost floored upon changing rooms, and my camera has been rendered almost totally useless by the amount of moisture in the air (I'm looking at you Golden Gate Park, although you make up for it by the bounty of fabulous specimen). I'm really glad they were able to save (http://www.flickr.com/...) this place; it's definitely a site worth making a side visit for, if you've got enough time in your itinerary.Listed in: The Great Outdoors, Vancouver In A Day
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Review from Jarrod L.
6/15/2011
There are tons of neat plants and birds to view here. If you take your time, it can be a really full experience even though the facility isn't terribly large. The gardeners leave at 3pm, so if you think you might want to ask for more info about any of the plants, go before then so you can talk to them.
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Review from Evilyn T.
4/12/2010 10 photos
For about $3.50 you can get into the Bloedel Conservatory and follow the trails in the humid enclosure filled with wild birds and plants. For such a small price, why wouldn't you go? My first guess would be because you had no idea it even existed, I know I sure didn't. I only just discovered this place because I saw on the news that they were considering shutting it down! What kind of shitty advertising is that?
After hearing this, we gathered up a few friends and went on a field-trip on Sunday morning. It was someone's great idea to be there for 11am, (obviously not mine) so I ended up having a revel ice cream for breakfast since there was no where to get a coffee. I guess I am used to Stanley Park, where you can get fruit cups and juice at the concession stands.
Now, I am not a birder in any sense of the term, but the birds they have at the Conservatory are beautiful and have bright bold colours on their feathers. I am also not a gardener, but I know how easy it is to kill orchids, or how hard it is to keep them alive, so seeing the beautiful display of orchids was quite breathtaking. I only wish that the Conservatory was bigger because everything they had in there was gorgeous and if it was bigger I could easily have wasted the whole afternoon in there, probably curled up under one of the big rain-forest trees.Listed in: Parklife
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Review from D.J. Y.
8/6/2008 1 photo
Sitting atop of the Queen Elizabeth park is a rare find, built in 1969 by an generous donation from the Bloedel family, it was constructed atop the water reservoir for the park, talk about using space wisely!
Themed areas of plant zones are inhabited by free-flying birds, but don't worry, they don't bite....hard... This is nothing like a bird house at your local zoo, this is a very controlled environment, no bird gets in nor out!
Visit Charlie and give him some luv or a shout out, you'll be glad you did. Oh, and get ready to sweat a bit, it's damn warm in there!! -
Review from Roanna Z.
Updated - 9/23/2009 1 photo
Coordinates 49°1432N 123°0650W / 49.2421°N 123.1138°W
Like a tropical holiday in the Winter, (*please read previous review for a rainy day visit.)
Today's visit was on a beautiful September day and has revealed so much more to me than my previous.
The gardens are wonderful to walk around in. I hadn't even realize they had outdoor gardens there until today. It's no VanDusen Gardens, but this place is so sweet and never seems over crowded. (or I've been really lucky.)
Inside they still have those crazy tropical birds calling for attention.
"HELLO CHARLIE c-a-a-w-h !!!
http://www.youtube.com...
Bloedel offers visitors a mini tropical vacation right here in Vancouver.
Also on grounds is restaurant Seasons In The Park another great looking restaurant to try. The menus look great.
Can't wait to have something to celebrate there.Listed in: It's raining... get inside…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/17/2009
Like a little vacation in a glass dome. Tropical plants to Desert flora, this is a small but diverse… Read more »
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Review from Jenn W.
5/13/2009
We checked out the Bloedel Conservatory today after work & it was a great antidote for being greeted by the dreary rain after spending the day indoors staring at a computer screen in a room without windows (next time I'm self-employed I will work so much harder, I swear)!
The space is relatively small but is jam packed full of tropical plants from all over the world. There are several large birds (macaws and such) that seem to keep to their roosts as well as a dozen or so smaller colorful birds flying around, bathing, and feeding on plants. The winding path is very relaxing, if short (walk slowly), a coi pond & waterfall add to the atmosphere.
Adult admission was $4.50, if I lived really close to the park I would see if they have an annual membership & regularly settle into one of the many benches along the path with a book.
The dome was really clean, considering the birds, and the paths were maintained so well that I had to look to find where plants had been trimmed. The pathways seemed wheelchair accessible to me (and the bathrooms definitely were). My only suggestions for improvement would be to have a larger space (rather impossible at this point) and to have natural mulch paths instead of the asphalt -- which really seems out of place. -
Review from Vincci L.
1/10/2010 9 photos
My love of nature never ceases to fail me. This futuristic dome contains a tropical paradise of exotic plants and tropical flowers, and even a couple of animals. Seriously, this has to be saved!!
They charge a nominal fee to get in. After that, you're on your own to discover the many plants, palms, and cool creatures that live in this wonderful world, all within the dome. This provides a perfect oppurtunity to capture wonderful pictures, with the many different tropical flowers and their vibrant colors. Unique birds also roam around freely in this land.
It's all climate controlled, so it can get a little humid. Dress appropriately. There's a boardwalk that goes all around the dome, so you're free to walk around as many times you want. There's even a small bridge that runs over a small stream, with beautiful Koi swimming within.
Come on a sunny day,rainy day, any day, and also enjoy that Quarry Gardens that surround the Conservatory, as well as viewing the amazing Vancouver skyline. It's like a mini vacation within the city!! -
Review from D K.
Coquitlam, BC
8/7/2010
Awesome place to visit for all ages. It's more than worth the price and I'm thrilled that Bloedel was saved from closure.
I think the other reviews have covered everything :o) -
Review from Reena M.
I only discovered this place this summer when a friend, who was starting a job as a tour guide, took me me here. It's amazing! The birds are sooo pretty and the flowers are amazing. I love it. However, I wish it were bigger and were like an actual museum. But anyway, the price is pretty good.
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Review from Dianne C.
8/6/2008
Bloedel and Queen Elizabeth Park is a great place to take touring family members to as a stop. They have a nice lush lawn in the parking areas and the edge of the park for that quick (or slow and relaxing) family meal break, a nice garden to stroll through, and a warm conservatory where you can stare at birds and they can stare back at you. There's also a nice view of downtown from nigh on up and the statues that _everybody_ loves to take pictures with. (Now, I just need to get some kind of a fog guard so I can go camera-happy when I start stalking birds.)
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Review from Susanne J.
Hope, BC
6/20/2009
If you're a bird lover Bloedel won't disappoint. They have 3 perched birds who seem used to interacting with their fans. They'll probably speak to you too if you're looking for a little bird love. Though other birds are running about, chirping madly at times, it was still a cool place to chill with a book, as another yelper pointed out. Sweet to sit there as exotic species of birds ran by and checked us out. You can also take a look at some unfamiliar tropical plants and learn a bit about where they're from. The path doesn't last too long but there are some nice trails and views right outside the conservatory door as well.
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Review from David L.
12/13/2009
If you've never been to a tropical place like Hawaii or some tropical zoo, this place will somewhat amaze you. It's hot and humid inside and it feels like you'll have to gasp for air. What's disappointing about this place is the lack of exotic wildlife. A few parrots and other birds and a few koi fish isn't going to make people say WOW for the admission price you'll be paying.
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Review from Victoria R.
BC
1/6/2009
Open rain or shine, the Conservatory is one of Vancouver's most scenic attractions. Inside the dome are plants and birds, lush and serene surroundings. Sitting on top of Queen Elizabeth Park, it's a very romantic spot, but it also offers something out of the ordinary if you're looking for a non-traditional park experience. Great for taking photos, it's the perfect spot to see those well-known statues that resemble life-like figurines. I like reading the Sunday morning paper there, it's so serene.
