I’m going to deviate from my amusement park coverage for a little bit to talk about Christmas -related events. Last weekend, I visited Krohn Conservatory in Cincinnati, Ohio. They have just begun their Christmas display, “Trains and Traditions, A Cincinnati Holiday,” and it’s a lot of fun to look at.
Krohn Conservatory
First, let’s talk about the conservatory itself. The Krohn Conservatory is a historic building, first opened in 1933. It’s located in Eden Park, a large greenspace near downtown Cincinnati. On the one hand, you can tell it has a long-established plant collection with massive growth and lots of variation. On the other hand, it’s on the small side and not nearly as grand as I thought it would be. For the casual visitor like me, it holds only about an hour’s worth of interest. And that’s walking through it twice and taking lots of pictures. But it only costs $10, and it’s well worth it at that price.
Let’s take a walk through the various rooms of the conservatory. While visiting, you can tour these in any order you want to. The first three major rooms all branch off from the same starting point behind the ticket desk. I’ll go through them in the order most people seem to visit, essentially by taking lefts from the entrance.
Fern House
In that manner, by taking a left from the ticket desk, you first enter the Fern House. It’s a bit of a misnomer, at least as far as the layperson’s understanding of “ferns” goes. Here are tall bushes and trees, curtained vines, a pool with koi fish, and even a few flowers.
In a few spots, there are small train displays – little trollies that go around in a circle or a little engine pushing a few cars. I’m not sure if that is special for the holidays or if there are always trains in here. There are also a few carousel-like animals constructed from plant materials here and there, particularly by the entrance. There is a single U-shaped path through the dense foliage and a couple of benches by the entrance.
Palm House
The largest room at Krohn Conservatory is the Palm House, straight ahead from the ticket desk. This room also has a basic U-shaped trajectory, with a curving ramp on one side and a few steps on the other. In the middle of the room is a waterway and at the far end is a waterfall and bridge. You can go through a stone tunnel behind the waterfall or over the bridge to access the other side of the path.
The vibe here is a tropical rainforest with big palm trees, huge-leafed plants, and a higher jungle canopy. The waterfall puts a fine mist into the air and you feel transported.
Trains & Traditions, a Cincinnati Holiday
Next is the large Christmas display, featuring recreations of important Cincinnati landmarks and neighborhoods made from botanical materials. Each section has a little trolly car that zips back and forth, while overhead, two large trains traverse an overhead track. At the far side of the room is a big Mt. Evans hillside with an inclined trolly and a towering tree of poinsettias.
I found it to be extremely interesting and beautiful, I’m sure if you’re more familiar with Cincinnati than I am, you’d find it even more interesting! A few landmarks I understand just by driving around town. A few just look like nice houses, and I wonder if they are modeled after real houses. There’s even a recreation of Krohn Conservatory itself and a stone arch from Eden Park. It would be kind of nice if there were some sort of guided tour or brochure for those of us who aren’t as familiar.
Bonsai Gallery
Hanging a left out of the Christmas room, you find a hallway lined with Bonsai specimens. Each one comes with a sign that tells what it is and how long it’s been in training. (Most of them for decades.)
Also along this hall is a gift shop. I’m not sure if this is a special spot for Christmastime since there seems to be a smaller shop near the entrance as well. This one does have a lot of Christmas ornaments and gift items.
Orchid House
Past the Bonsai trees is a sort of connector building, housing a few Orchid species. I love orchids, so this part was a bit of a letdown, but there are still some pretty flowers in here. Also look for a display of old photos from the early days of the conservatory.
Desert House
Finally, the last room is the Desert House, and in many ways, it is my favorite. Cacti, aloe, and spiky, alien trees are planted in the rocky soil. A huge century plant dominates one side.
I love the graphic nature of desert plants – black edges on thick green leaves, thick spikes with delicate pink flowers. It’s a triumph of will for a plant to survive on so little water and look so beautiful doing it.
Parking & Amenities
There is free parking in a lot behind Krohn Conservatory, and parallel parking extends around the back along the exit lane. If all that is full, I think there is street parking nearby. Bathrooms are found on either side of the entrance lobby, and I swear I saw one back in the Orchid House, but I may have been imagining it – I can’t find it on any map.
Tickets & Hours
A visit to the Trains & Traditions holiday display is included in regular admission to Krohn Conservatory. For folks age 18 and over, the cost is $10. It’s $7 for ages 5-17, and free for kids 4 and under. The conservatory is open every day of the year from 10 am – 8 pm. There are some days (mostly holidays) with shorter hours: Nov. 25, Dec. 3, 10, 24, 25, & 31, and Jan. 1. For the most part, they’re open 10-5 those days and 10-2 on Thanksgiving and Christmas days. The Christmas display runs from Nov. 6-Jan. 9.
You can’t tell from their website but it sounds like once the Christmas display is gone, they rotate through other displays throughout the year. It seems a popular butterfly house just closed. I imagine that takes place most of the spring & summer. As always, check their website for up-to-date information.
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