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BEHIND THE BLOOMS

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BEHIND THE

BLOOMS Bringing Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Gardens to life

By Heather Turk

Although Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Gardens is one of Las Vegas’ most popular free attractions, showcasing five breathtaking displays throughout the year, winter is an especially busy time at the 24-hour exhibit. Not only does it feature a festive holiday display through Jan. 1, with polar bear topiaries made from fresh-cut white carnations and a real 42-foot-tall Christmas tree, but it also showcases a Lunar New Year display from Jan. 8 until early March. Bellagio’s horticulture manager, Leslie Baeckeroot, works alongside a design company to come up with new designs and photo opportunities for the conservatory each season. While Baeckeroot admits that developing new themes can be a challenge, it’s also very rewarding. “I love it when people stop me to tell me what they love about a display or things they’d like to see,” Baeckeroot told Sunseeker. “Even years later, I remember what people have told me, and it’s very motivating.”

It takes approximately 100 people working around the clock for six days to transition the 14,000-square-foot conservatory from one display to the next. More than 5,000 plants are typically featured in each display, including specimen trees, shrubs, vines and blooming plants. Most of the plants are grown in greenhouses in Utah, Oregon and California, with some trees brought in from as far as Florida.

Ten people maintain the conservatory daily, making sure everything is looking photogenic. They also make sure each display is as eco-friendly as possible, watering plants only when needed and recycling spent plant material into compost.

While executing the displays to their fullest potential is a big responsibility, Baeckeroot said that creating “an immersive experience that gives people an unexpected chance to connect with nature and beauty right in the heart of the city” makes all of the hard work worth it. bellagio.mgmresorts.com

The theme of Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Gardens’ 2020 holiday display was “Hopeful Holidays”

The conservatory’s Lunar New Year 2020 display celebrated the Year of the Rat

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