W.W. Seymour Conservatory Newsletter | December 2023

Wonder: Winter Flower Show

Immerse yourself in the rich colors of the season

Winter Wonderland Blooms: Poinsettia take Center Stage

Visit during the Wonder: Winter Flower Show and see 10 different poinsettias, vibrant tropical foliage and whimsical touches throughout our historical conservatory. Free admisson!

Notes from the Glass House

As we wrap up 2023 and move into the New Year, my heart is filled with gratitude for the Conservatory, the amazing staff and volunteers that make it the special place that it is and the community we get to introduce to this botanical delight.

Life in the conservatory this year was filled with growth, challenges, grief and bright moments of joy.

As I look back and marvel at the varied programming we offered our community this past year I am also thinking ahead for ways to continue expanding our mission of inclusivity and safety in all that we do, and how we can have more fun!

Here is just a sampling of the many kinds of ways people connected with the Conservatory this year:

Started new programs for our local BIPOC community, featuring mindfulness walks and art classes.

Hosted the Wonder and Grow Childrens' Garden at the Point Defiance Flower and Garden Festival

(save the date for June 1 and 2 in 2024!)

Partnered with SAMi to teach horticulture classes, where students worked on projects in the Point Defiance gardens, our greenhouses and the Conservatory

Hosted sound baths and yoga both indoors and out.

Hosted weddings, celebrations of life, 80th birthdays, retirements and engagements

Shared concerts, sing-alongs and lots of crafting

Started a beneficial insect program at the Conservatory and greenhouse.

In 2024 we are looking forward to collaborating with local artists, unveiling our spring theme with a new orchid display and hosting fresh workshops to help connect people with nature. We also can’t wait to tell you all more about our beneficial insect program!

One last thing – Did you know the Conservatory is on the Light Trail? Mark your calendars for this time of brightness at the end of the year.

Wishing you a happy New Year,

Tyra Shenaurlt

W.W. Seymour Conservatory Supervisor

Behind the Scenes:

3 Favorite Moments of 2023

Seeing the joy come from staff members Joseph and Nadine tasting the ripe fruit of Monstera deliciosa.

Collaborating with Metro Parks Recreation Senior Programming to host fun events.

Listening to visitors sing together at Cocoa and Carols.

What's Blooming at the Conservatory

Cuetlaxochitl (kwet-lac-SO-sheetl), or poinsettia as it is known in the U.S., is an iconic Christmas symbol. Often, plants that we know and love have rich histories, and their original names and stories aren’t always shared.

Long before cuetlaxochitl became a symbol of Christmas, they were used ceremonially, medicinally and artistically among indigenous peoples of Mexico and Guatemala. The name popularized in the U.S. was not derived from indigenous cultures, but from the first U.S. Minister to Mexico, Joel R. Poinsett.

Poinsett, a plantation owner who was also oversaw the suppression and forced displacement of American Indians during the Trail of Tears, considered himself an avid botanist. While in Mexico in 1828, Poinsett saw a vibrant, red-leafed plant at a nativity scene and shipped several cuttings back to the United States.

Within a few years, the poinsettia became a fixture in flower shows and horticulture journals, and Poinsett was often accredited with its discovery. Although “poinsettia” may still be the common name, we can pay homage to the first cultivators of this plant by acknowledging its indigenous names: cuetlaxochitl (which means brilliant flower) by the Aztec and k’alul wits (meaning ember flower) by the Maya.

What's Blooming at the Conservatory

Seymour Holiday Workshop

Sunday, Dec 24; 11 am-2 pm

W.W. Conservatory Greenhouse

(Ages 12+) Drop in and create a handmade botanical themed treasure for someone special or yourself. We'll have everything on hand for you to make one of a kind giftable treasure.

Learn More

In partnership with

Other Events You May Enjoy

Polar Bear Plunge

Presented by Bath Fitter

Mon, Jan 1; 11:30 am

$10 admission. Kick off the new year by plunging into Puget Sound. Warm beverages will be available at the event!

Learn More

Neon New Years

Sun, Dec 31; 6 pm-12:30 am

Join fellow community members to give back to city parks and green spaces during the Green Tacoma Day and Arbor Day celebration. Having access to healthy parks and urban green spaces is vital to our quality of life.

Zoolights

Presented by BECU

Now until Jan 1; 4:30 pm-10 pm

Magical lights and a classic holiday tradition dazzling our community for 35 years.

Purchase Tickets