This weekend I went on a smallish adventure to the Nicholas Conservatory in Rockford. I had never been there before, and up until I created this post about 40 spectacular gardens in and around Chicago, I had never even heard of it. I'm so glad I went. It's a pretty little conservatory and, the best part, they had an orchid show going on!

I wish I had taken photos of the outside of this conservatory. It's pretty impressive. It's glass (as most conservatories are) and quite large. I was a tiny bit disappointed in the size of the actual flower space inside. Don't get me wrong-- it's gorgeous. I imagine wedding and engagement photos would be amazing here. I just thought it would be a little bit bigger, based on the impressive shape of the building. I can't wait to come back in the spring and summer to check out the actual garden section.

The orchid show itself was quite lovely. The tropical smells hit you when you first walk in, even before you notice any of the flowers. They really did a fantastic job of creating gorgeous eye catching orchid displays and showcased a lot of different varieties of orchids. Keep an eye on my flickr or instagram account for a lot more photos.

Would I go back? Yes, definitely. I plan on taking my mom here so she can enjoy the orchid show. And we will check out the rest of the garden in the spring, and at least one more time in the summer when they have their rose event.  And because I always make a trip to the Anderson Japanese Garden in the fall, I'm sure we will be stopping here and checking out their fall colors too.

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