The spring display in the Conservatory & Botanical Garden of Bellagio, 3600 South Las Vegas Boulevard, Las Vegas, Nevada, is a replica of Osaka Castle in Japan.

Through June 15, 2019, the Conservatory takes guests on a cultural journey through many elements associated with the Land of the Rising Sun, including cherry blossoms, butterflies, and 65,000 tulips, calla lilies and chrysanthemums.

“Incorporating a replica of the stunning Osaka Castle into our Conservatory allows us the unique opportunity to share a piece of Japanese culture with tens of thousands of visitors each day,” said Jim Murren, Chairman and CEO of MGM Resorts International. “We aim to spark conversation and curiosity about this remarkable country and this storied castle.”

Upon entering the Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, the 30-foot-high Osaka Castle replica stands in the center of the West Bed. Recreated in precise detail, the Edo-era landmark features shining golden trim, and is flanked by two Japanese-style stone lanterns, illuminating the path to the castle. Butterflies flutter throughout the garden, which includes topiaries made up of 2,000 carnations. Just below the castle, a waterfall flows into a wide pond accented by three fountains, a nod to Bellagio’s world-renowned water feature along the Las Vegas Strip.

To ensure the display accurately conveyed the historical and cultural significance of the iconic Osaka Castle, designer Ed Libby and Bellagio’s horticulture team collaborated with Japan-based producer Noriko Minai and her team at Dentsu Live Inc. to bring the vision to life with a precise combination of colors and flowers.

As visitors enter the East Bed of the Conservatory, they are greeted by the beautiful blooms of cherry blossom trees, lining a stone pathway accented with spring gates.

In the South Bed, glowing Japanese celebration lanterns hang over a waterfall amid a collection of intricately designed pottery. Decorated with lush green, pink and blue lentils, the color palette of the vases evokes the signature hues of spring. Four-foot-tall lanterns are suspended overhead, glowing over the graceful koi swimming in the pond below.

Nearby in the North Bed, two 18-foot red-crowned Japanese cranes tower over blooming lotus flowers in various stages of life. The cranes are inspired by the popular One Hundred Famous Views of Edo, one of a series of ukiyo-e prints by Japanese artist Hiroshige. In Japanese culture, the crane symbolizes longevity and strength, while the lotus flowers are honored for their ability to bloom from the mud of a murky pond – a process that symbolizes enlightenment. Designed to replicate a legendary tea house that debuted at the 1893 World Fair in Chicago, a traditional tea house sits just beyond the pond, set for a time-honored tea ceremony.

The Conservatory & Botanical Gardens is open to the public free of charge 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

(Photo courtesy of Bellagio)