As a bird lover staying at the Bellagio, I couldn’t help but spend some time in the Conservatory & Botanical Garden with my camera. One afternoon, with shafts of light streaming in, I took out my 70-200 lens and played with the birds and flowers.

A variety of parakeets and finches live in this greenhouse, complete with bird houses, baths, perches and a variety of tropical plants. They’re a colorful and lively addition to the Conservatory, which was in transition from spring to summer while we were there.

The Bellagio website, which also features a live webcam of the Conservatory, describes this colorful attraction in the hotel: “Admire the essence of every season recreated with exceptionally gorgeous plants, flowers and trees thoughtfully arranged to inspire full splendor. Specially designed lighting spotlights every flower to accentuate its best features. To ensure the Conservatory & Botanical Gardens maintains magnificence 365 days a year, 140 expert horticulturists theatrically arrange gazebos, bridges, ponds, and water features uniquely for each season.”  

Each evening as we retired to our room, we passed by the Conservatory where workers were immersed in tending to the flowers and decorations–at ground level and on scaffolding–to replace spent blooms so the next morning when we walked through the gardens they were fresh, perfect and spectacular. What a great way to start each day!