Savage Gardens at San Diego Botanic Garden. Image credit courtesy of San Diego Botanic Garden.A killer plant show has taken over San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas. Now through October 29, visitors are invited to step into the bizarre and captivating world of carnivorous plants with Savage Gardens. The traveling showcase presented in partnership with Ohio based Tork Collaborative Arts features hundreds of real carnivorous plants that feast on insects, along with three Instagram-worthy installations inside and around the Garden’s 8,000 square foot, glass-enclosed Dickinson Family Education Conservatory.
Visitors admiring a 10-ft tall Venus flytrap installation. Image credit courtesy of San Diego Botanic Garden.Visitors of all ages can get a bug’s eye perspective of these unique plants with 10 to 15-foot interpretations of multiple Sarracenia Trumpets, a walk-in Fanged Pitcher Plant Nepenthes (complete with digestive noises), and an interactive Venus Flytrap. Along the way, spot real carnivorous variations and keep an eye out for insects stuck in an unlucky situation.
The view from inside a Fanged Pitcher Plant installation. Image credit courtesy of San Diego Botanic Garden.Recreated to look and feel like a swampy bog habitat where carnivorous plants are typically found, the Conservatory space has been completely transformed to highlight these fascinating and often misunderstood plants with educational elements that explain why – and how – carnivorous plants have evolved to eat insects. For those hungry to learn more, hands-on classes by SDBG staff and partners will be offered on select dates, including a Carnivorous Plants 101 presentation from the San Diego Carnivorous Plant Society on August 26. A killer plant show has taken over San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas. Now through October 29, visitors are invited to step into the bizarre and captivating world of carnivorous plants with Savage Gardens.
Real carnivorous plants on display in the Conservatory’s swampy “bog”. Image credit courtesy of San Diego Botanic Garden. Plant vendors will also be featured on select weekends throughout the exhibition run selling plants (including carnivorous options), potting materials, and other carnivorous-inspired merchandise for visitors to enjoy. Check back to the website and social media channels for new classes, vendors and special events as they are added throughout the showcase. Entrance to the exhibition is included with general Garden admission. Members are free, non-member admissions range from $10-$18. The Garden is open six days a week from 9 a.m.to 5 p.m., closed Tuesdays. To learn more and book your tickets, visit www.sdbg.org.