Bellagio Conservatory

When completing an installation, the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens transforms into a beehive of activity.

Horticulturists wearing hardhats and gloves scurry about. Some carry in assortments of potted flowers from an on-site staging area, others kneel on the floor planting roses.

But while the show's set up is a sight to see, the finished product is the real spectacle that draws visitors to the atrium, located just beyond the lobby at the Bellagio Las Vegas.

The change-out, which occurs five times a year, closes off the 13,573-square-foot area to the public for a week, while about 100 people from both the Bellagio's horticulture and engineering departments work non-stop to execute the seasonal plans, utilizing cranes and a tunnel system underneath the conservatory.

"We're here for seven days, 24 hours a day," said Tim Hunter, manager of the conservatory. "We work non-stop, around the clock."

The free seasonal exhibits at the Bellagio Conservatory, including Chinese New Year, Spring Celebration, Summer Garden Party, Harvest and Holiday, are on display 24 hours a day, and don’t cut any corners.

Flowers and plants for the conservatory – such as coastal Redwoods reaching upwards of 25 feet, weeping willows and 40-foot poplar trees, azaleas, hydrangea, miniature roses, dahlias, agave and agapanthus – are shipped in from all over the nation and are temporarily kept in a 40,000-square-foot, off-site greenhouse until ready for display.

Even though the selected flowers and plants do well in the Conservatory’s 78- to 80-degree climate, they are replaced and refreshed every two weeks – and many are hand-watered.

"It's always got to look nice in here," explained Hunter.

While the Bellagio does not disclose the amount of revenue spent on the conservatory, he said it is "well worth the money."

The horticulture department puts a great deal of time and effort into designing and maintaining the conservatory. Everything is thought out and planned, down to the most seemingly minute technicalities.

During the Chinese New Year show, for instance, Feng Shui experts are brought in to make sure the energy in the room is just right. This includes analyzing the flow of the water and the direction the animal props are facing.

For the Summer 2007 show, Hunter said the department did extensive research on flags. Several American flags hanging from horizontal flag poles near the ceiling are displayed following flag regulations, with the blue union to the observer's left, per the suggestion of military personnel.

"The conservatory is what sets us apart from the other hotels," said Hunter, explaining the attention to details. "There are people who come in every year just to see a certain show."

--Aleza Freeman