Gabbin’, Bloomin’, No Gaggin’

We made it to our site at Lake Elmo Park Reserve yesterday (just east of St. Paul, MN). Our first stop… Beth’s aunt and uncle’s house, where we were joined by her cousin for a quick gab session before we all headed over to the Como Park Zoo & Conservatory.

What a beautiful park… we walked around the Lily Pond—photos were captured of us and the stunning grounds—then made our way toward the Conservatory to find out what was “raising a stink.”

Turns out, it was the famous Corpse Flower, in its final act. While it’s known for smelling like a rotting dumpster in July, we missed the peak stink. By the time we got there, the infamous odor had mostly dissipated and left the building.

The Conservatory is packed with unusual and beautiful plants… and we took plenty of pictures. WARNING: More to come—and by the end, y’all will probably be on flower overload!

NOTE: The Corpse Flower (officially called Amorphophallus titanum) is one of the largest and rarest blooming flowers in the world. It’s famous for its powerful stench—often compared to rotting meat—which helps attract pollinators. The bloom lasts just 24–48 hours and can take years (even decades!) to appear.

👉 To learn more about the Corpse Flower: https://www.usbg.gov/plants/corpse-flowerRead more