Las Vegas Weekly

May 15, 2010 · 10:53 AM

Photos: Mother Nature blooms into summer at Bellagio Gardens

By Robin Leach

The Summer 2010 display at Bellagio's Conservatory & Botanical Gardens on May 14, 2010.

Photo: Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com

Summer officially arrives in Las Vegas with the opening of a fresh floral exhibit at the Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Gardens on Monday. Thousands of brightly colored lilies, sunflowers, azaleas and hydrangeas have been planted in the past few days.

Our contributing photographer Tom Donoghue was invited to go behind-the-scenes at 6 a.m. yesterday for this advance look at everything including seven fantastic, oversized bronze ants that have found a home there. They debuted in mid-March and appear not to want to leave, so the honored horticulturalists wove them into the new summer surroundings.

The 15-foot-tall flowerpot and 28-foot spade also will remain there until the arrival of the fall exhibit with pumpkins, but check out all the new botanical snails, ladybugs and bumblebees.

“It is a Mother Nature’s wonder,” Tom told us. “Simply spectacular. I think my photos shot at all different camera speeds do it justice, but you have really got to go see it for yourself with your own eyes to take in the full majesty -- and fragrances -- of the exhibit.”

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

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