South Bend Conservatory

The Conservatories at Potawatomi, more formally known as the Ella Morris and Muessel-Ellison Botanical Conservatories and Potawatomi Greenhouse, is a collection of conservatories and indoor botanical gardens located in Potawatomi Park at 2105 Mishawaka Avenue South Bend, Indiana, in the United States. 41.666°N 86.217°W / 41.666; -86.217.

The conservatory was established in the 1920s when the Potawatomi Greenhouses were built to supply flowers. In 1963 and 1967, the Ella Morris and Muessel-Ellison Botanical conservatories were added, providing a tropical area. The “Arizona Desert Dome” was completed in 1973, and now is home to cacti, succulents, century plants, and a large monkey puzzle tree.

• Potawatomi Greenhouses - 8 growing houses supply flowers and plants for seasonal flower shows, South Bend parks, and the conservatories.
• Ella Morris Conservatory - tropicals and flowering plants, with rubber trees, bamboo, and citrus trees.
• Muessel-Ellison Conservatory - a small waterfall with bougainvillea, bird of paradise, and more.

The City of South Bend nearly closed the conservatory in late 2006 due to high operating cost. However, the conservatory and greenhouse remain open due to the hard work of the Botanical Society of South Bend, South Bend City Council members, and community members. Since then a partnership has been created with The University of Notre Dame. Dr. Paul Brenner, from Notre Dame introduced cutting edge, green technology. The Green Cloud Proto-type experiment is currently saving the city thousands of dollars in heating costs.

The City of South Bend is currently doing a 1.2 million dollar renovation to improve access and parking.

External links

• Ella Morris/Muessel-Ellison Botanical Conservatories - South Bend Parks & Recreation