Imagine entering a rainforest where it never rains, visiting a desert where droughts always end and experiencing a world of waterfalls, palm trees, butterflies and orchids without ever opening your passport. We found it all at The Oklahoma City Myriad Botanical Gardens and Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory. Nestled in 17 acres of gently rolling hills, The Crystal Bridge looks like a giant crystal salt shaker tipped over on its side. Standing seven stories high, we didn't expect such an oasis in the center of downtown Oklahoma City. Open to the public since 1988, over 1,200,000 visitors have enjoyed the misty tropical atmosphere and exotic plant collections (the millionth visitor having set foot here on July 19, 1996). The Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory is the centerpiece of the garden. The architecturally renowned garden was designed by city builder I.M. Pei, and is made from 3,028 translucent acrylic panels. The lake under the Crystal Bridge is fed by a natural aquifer. It is stocked with Goldfish, Golden Orfes and Imperial Japanese Koi, some weighing as much as 20 pounds. Upon entering the botanical gardens, we were greeted by Muffin and Bojangles, two Double Yellow-Headed Parrots who liven up the lobby. The parrots are tame and will speak to tourists if they are in the mood for conversation -- but they didn't to us. Past the parrots, we saw the brick wall sculpture by artist Paula Collins. The three-dimentional, hand carved bricks carry a tropical plant theme. Entering the south end of the Crystal Bridge, the warm humid air surrounded us like a warm blanket. The deep green foliage of the rainforest spilled over into our path. The plants in this area are from Amazonia, Central Africa, S.E. Asia and the South Pacific Islands and recieve water every day. For a welcome break from the warm air, we turned left under the 35-foot waterfall that gently cascades down the side of a realistic mountain. The path led us up to the top of the mountain, past the source of the waterfall and the tropical Birds of Paradise (which, by the way, is a plant not a bird). The natural looking rock formations were created by taking latex molds from actual rock outcroppings. When we had seen all there was to see on top of the mountain, we took the sky walk across the middle of the tropical paradise and looked down at the lush foliage and brightly colored flowers. At the end of the sky walk we were then in the dry tropics or monsoon-type climate at the north end of the garden. These plants are put through a drought from November to March of each year, followed by regular watering during the summer months. Most of these specimens come from South Africa, Madagascar and Mexico. On our way through the bright yellow flowers of the Dry Mountain, we watched for small Anoles sunning themselves on the rocks. These quick little chameleons arrived in the crystal Bridge by hitching a ride on palm trees shipped from Florida. Because the conditions in the Bridge are ideal, their numbers have increased significantly. We saw more of these friendly creatures upon our visit to the Round Room in the heart of the Dry Mountain. This small reptile collection is used for the educational programs produced at the Gardens. Back on the ground in the Dry Tropics, we made our way to the Mediterranian or Californian Zone. The plants thrive in a moderately dry climate, such as Southern California, South Africa around the Cape, Spain, Italy, the Middle East and Coastal Australia. This is a great place to watch for the Zebra Longwing butterflies warming their black and yellow wings in the sunshine. As we headed back south over the wooden bridge, we noticed bright-red flower bracts that resemble red plastic pinecones. We weren't able to miss the sweet-smelling orchids or the banana trees that dominate the garden foliage. Leaving this tropical paradise, back into the Oklahoma weather, we checked out the Crystal Bridge gift Shop where we found a fascinating array of botanical and garden-related gifts. We bought a beautiful magnet depicting the state of Oklahoma and the inscription "Oklahoma's Rainforest -- Myriad Gardens". In addition to daily visits by local and out-of-town admirers, the Myriad Botanical Gardens hosts several major events each year. The Festival of the Arts in the spring, Theatre at Twilight and Fourth of July Celebration in the summer, and Myriad Gardens Classic in the fall attract thousands of visitors to the Gardens annually. The Myriad Botanical Gardens is located at 100 Myriad Gardens on the corner of Reno and Robinson in downtown Oklahoma City. The Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory and gift Shop are open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day except Christmas. For more information, contact The Myriad Gardens at 405-297-3995.
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