In a flawed attempt at garden maintenance, amateurs often construct a scarebee to deter pesky pollinators from cross-contaminating precious thoroughbred plants. Experience an expertly cultivated garden with today's Groupon: for $12, you get two tickets to Phipps Conservatory (up to a $24 value), located in the resplendent Schenley Park.

Since 1893, horticulture adorers have visited the Victorian-inspired steel-and-glass Phipps Conservatory, which has enriched and educated the community by showcasing a multitude of tree, fern, and flower species. Visitors ($12 adult, $11 seniors and students with ID, $9 children 2 to 18) bask in 17 unique gardens throughout the Crystal Palace-esque facility, including herbaceous areas such as the desert room, the ornamental Japanese courtyard garden, and the courtly Broderie and Victoria rooms, where knighted tulips engage in regular shrubbery duels at dawn. Featuring a new ecosystem every three years, the 12,000-square-foot tropical forest conservatory flourishes with flora and fauna of the Amazon, bursting with waterfalls, winding pathways, and an authentic fish pond.

After taking in the gardens, famished flower buffs can wet their whistles at Café Phipps, where an eco-friendly menu features organic and locally sourced salads, sandwiches, wine, and more served with compostable cups and flatware. Since the conservatory closes at 5 p.m. daily (until 10 p.m. on Fridays), pollen paramours are encouraged to plan to spend at least 90 minutes touring the entire facility, lest they arrive while the orchids are out for their morning cardio-workout.

Reviews

Yelpers and Google Mappers give the Phipps Conservatory a 4.5-star average. More than 2,440 people like it on Facebook.

• An amazing selection of plants from all over the world in an expansive, well designed green house. – Joe B., Yelp
• It is the most delightful conservatory I have ever visited. Tastefully restored to even better than it's former glory, and now totally green as well, this conservatory is a gem that should not be missed. – Bikerjoan, Google Maps