Amazon Spheres Tour: Part I - Ep 151

Despite what you may think of Amazon as a business, their creation of the Amazon Spheres-the glass-walled biodomes in downtown Seattle, is quite impressive. Like a mini Gardens by the Bay (see our Singapore trip for reference), the Spheres grows tens of thousands of plants and boasts a five-story green wall, which alone holds 25,000 plants. Employees of Amazon can work within the lush greenscape; and public tours happen on a weekly basis.
This is one of a four-part series with Justin Schroeder, the Horticulturist at the Spheres. Justin wanted me to come by when it first opened, but I wasn't able to make it out that way until my book tour. Glad I was now able to make it and capture these episodes. This first one will go over the history and construction; and the subsequent episodes will deep dive into the plant life in the Spheres floor-by-floor.
Edited by: Elori Kramer
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Homestead Brooklyn’s "Plant One On Me" is a series on indoor and outdoor gardening, houseplant home tours, greenhouse and botanic garden field trips, interviews, travelogues, and more. Write your questions and suggestions in the comments below the videos, on Instagram @homesteadbrooklyn #PlantOneOnMe, or Facebook @summerrayneoakes and @homesteadbrooklyn.
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[@anclaudys]

I love the fact that Amazon committed to this. They also have an AWS Skills Center to teach people from non-technical backgrounds cloud computing. Amazon does great things sometimes, and it makes me really proud to have been a part of Amazon. This is the kind of place I want to work in!

[@kelzbelz313]

To anybody interested in visiting be aware that they are only open to the public the first and third Saturday of the month. Admission is free which is nice

[@karenroya2378]

kelly McGregor super helpful, thanks!!

[@digitalportraitist]

I work for Amazon and have been there many times. Only a small portion of the spheres is open to the public. To gain entry to the entire facility you must be an Amazon employee or guest of a employee.

[@joyavenzant5086]

The carnivorous plants were living their best life lol

[@BasiePlants]

Everyone was is so impressed with the no chemical part (which is really impressing, especially where they get in big trees and inspect them). What impressed me the most is that they hand-water everything 😱Now that is some serious commitment!

[@apdroidgeek1737]

They dont really have to water them for too long since its an enclosed giant terrarium.

[@jangreygarin3107]

Very Amazing! I'm just watching other videos about this yesterday. Thanks!

[@cynthiathompson309]

Continue to amazes me, with how you continue to take us on this journey places some of us would like to go on, still in love with them all

[@laurancedarwinuy3385]

every plantita’s dream

[@selenacy]

Omg! I stumbled upon this sphere while visiting Seattle mid-Feb and was sad I couldn't get a tour, so I was leering in from outside. I'm sooo so glad you did this tour and asked many questions that I was wondering! You're the best Summer :)

[@emilyplantsmusic]

Summer, you asked him every question I was thinking! 😆 It was really interesting to hear about how a project like this is developed and maintained. ✌️🌿💚

[@RadioImmunoAssay2]

So impressed they don't use chemicals 🤯 Just what I like to call good ol fashioned "KOS", kill on sight!😆😁

[@bokan800]

YAY! It was nice to see you in Seattle during your book tour! The Spheres is one of my favorite place to go to in Seattle. :)

[@summerrayneoakes]

Hopefully you'll enjoy the 4-part series. It took a few hiccups before I could launch this!

[@erinjames377]

Beautiful! Thank you! 💙

[@bugsandbrushes]

Yay, just the perfect video to have playing while caring for my humble home jungle. Thank you so much for sharing, dear Sunmer. Your content always is informative and fun and certainly a calming an replenishing experience 😊

[@SequoiaElisabeth]

Awesome! Thank you so much for sharing this amazing facility.

[@avaf1084]

Spectacular!

[@starbucks7125]

Im excited for the next episode!

[@RAOqwerty]

I'm on an informational high from this video. Such relaxing scenery!

[@joypara2683]

WOW NA WOW TALAGA..

[@blurobin1]

Absolutely beautiful!!!

[@kathleenmurphy2379]

What a wonderful wonderful video summer!! Your editing skills did a great job with having close-ups of plants that were around you and not just the conversation for an interview with this wonderful gentleman who shared his experience with this like you said once in a lifetime opportunity. The questions you asked him were excellent!!! You made this place something that's on my bucket list but I doubt if I'll ever be able to visit so thank you very much for letting me visit via your visit! Take care of Summer and thanks

[@kr0nic666]

Oooof ! Thats one impressive space!

[@yusrirohman3266]

Lol! You running up the stairs at 5.20. 🤣

[@Banano91f]

This episode was great! I feel like the next one will be even more so... Thanks!

[@shaneclawson5854]

This is so cool! Great job Amazon

[@paulabollers6396]

I hope more companies have green initiatives like this. It is beautiful.

[@kelzbelz313]

Paula Bollers as it’s an enclosed ecosystem I wonder how much it’s actually doing to reduce carbon. They spent years building these structures and shipping in plants. I doubt this greenhouse is particularly “green”

[@paulabollers6396]

@@kelzbelz313 Great point! In the videos SRO did at the Bay Cloud Cloud Forest Dome in Singapore, she asked that precise question as it seems like a huge undertaking. There it was mostly self contained.They used garbage for fuel and cooled the building with water pipes underneath. I am not sure if it utilized solar panels as well since that would make a lot of sense. I am sure she will ask about that at the Amazon site in a future episode.I was impressed that they used beneficial insects for pest control and water by hand as opposed to an irrigation system.

[@iddybiddyladybugleeza262]

This is amazing 🥰💚🌿

[@AJY6396]

I’m adding this to my ultimate bucketlist ✊🏼✊🏼 i had gone to the Gardens by the Bay at SG and it simply blown my mind away.. I hope we could get more and more of this kind of structure as the years progress 💯💯💯

[@aggiehasselfield731]

Impressive 💚💚💚

[@courtneyminx5408]

Oooooh my goodness, this is so good! I’m excited for the next videos! 😁

[@wandashaw3551]

This is an awesome idea (in my opinion) that every large city should consider. There are hardly any green spaces in some of the urban areas. Love these field trips!!

[@Farstar5710]

Another great vid!

[@jeanneeguizabal471]

It's really interesting to see the care put into the spheres! It's honestly inspirational and I definitely would love to visit here one day😍

[@goddess131]

hi Summer, OMG, I was in Seattle last year, and I didn't know about this garden! I will definitely go there the next time I'm in Seattle and visit this garden. Thank you for this video.

[@LGW3-Orchids-Exotics]

Awesome vid! I love to see that Amazon actually embraced this project; though I'm sure a pun with their name too. This would be a cool place to work!

[@MyWastelessLife]

I hope they also build one in their new hq in Alexandria VA

[@mrpablomx]

That’s what a few Billion Dollars in Corporate Tax Breaks will get ya’...

[@daveh1294]

Plus exploiting the warehouse staff and promoting some very dodgy sales practices. Don't forget those :)

[@143Luan]

what?

[@robin212212]

Couple hundred billions? lol. Not quite.

[@jeffhinton2887]

I can't imagine the carbon footprint of this place...

[@alis49281]

@@jeffhinton2887 Actually, the plants absorb carbon too. But still probably a negative in the sum because of artificial lighting and heating. And the USA are not known for using solar panels on their buildings, because they prefer to destroy their landscape and burn their coal and oil.

[@msfoliage]

Happy 3rd anniv 💚💚💚 more videos to come! 🥰

[@jungleinpots]

Love to watch this type of vedio.....

[@Nhoj31neirbo47]

So cool that you were able to do this series. I’ve previously learned quite a bit about this groundbreaking project but as it’s still in its early evolutionary days as a contained system an update will be interesting. As a former interiorscaper, I enjoy gleaning information about their maintenance regime. They really pulled off something incredibly with this space. Though it’s costly, I hope to see similar future installations, especially in urban areas. (Sorry for the late comment. Somehow I missed this post in my sub feed.)

[@luclasaw]

Wow! this sphere reminds me,my mom garden when I was living in Brazil.

[@michaelcronk4934]

Awesome video like to see more of these

[@GodApoaullo]

😍 love. It

[@MissL4lly]

I would love to live in a giant greenhouse.. just wanted to share 😁. Thanks for your videos and dedication. Kind regards Ally X

[@kayso4986]

Hoping these will start popping up in NC, I’d love to visit!! 😮

[@rachidchiouar2378]

Thanyouuuuuuuuuu sweet summer. This will make me forget I hope the fires in australia

[@YellowPineappleHoyas]

Amazing that Amazon actually created something beautiful, when they cause so much harm.

[@sallyhenry1716]

....WOW this is gonna be good!🤓

[@barbll000]

I never knew about these spheres. Totally cool. If I travel to the USA I'll have to make a stop to see these.

[@Eleonoor01]

I would love to have this as my workspace!

[@TheWritingGirl]

On My bucket list

[@Maubotoable]

Nice video. The greenhouse (domgreenhouse) is really cool with lovely plants.And starting with Dicksonia antartica... thank you 👍 Waiting next videos!!

[@StanTheObserver-lo8rx]

Irony is- Seattleans are surrounded by green and lush and mossy. It really would have been a vacation if it had been a Cactus and Succulent sphere. But,then those who work in the sphere would have had to use sunglasses and suntan lotion under the high intensity lights needed..that also would have taken jillions of joules to keep sunny in the long winters. I like it as is...what I would have done except, I would have put in more tropical fish and streams of them in there.

[@mteamfive9028]

Wow!! What an incredible structure!! I would love to be the person responsible for watering everything!

[@HerebutNot]

I'm pretty sure that Anthurium behind you is Anthurium salgarense; maybe it's A. decipens, but wow...what a great back drop. I am currently obsessed with oversized aroids

[@summerrayneoakes]

There will be more floors we go through, so hopefully you'll get your fix

[@iamjograd]

Gardens by the bay Jr. 😅. Looking forward to the tour.

[@burstallpass4394]

Very interesting interview. I was surprised to hear about the extra lights they used. We upgraded our windows several years ago to triple glazed, low E and I have noticed a big difference in my plants growth. I have recently added artificial lights, so we will see how they do?

[@ashleylatheef]

Hai Summer...Thank u very much for this series . Really I feel like Alice in Wonder land. This Spheres are wonderful experience for me . 800 species and 40000 plants all r healthy. Waiting for next video. ..Thank you once again 🌷💚Mumthas from India...

[@giauyngo4750]

I passed this place but i didn't know there was so many plants there

[@kathleenmurphy2379]

The fern tree you have talked about at the beginning of your video the lady who has a channel in the United Kingdom named tropical plant addict has one planted in her backyard. And I believe she has it wrapped in burlap but I can't remember how she has it wrapped at the top to protect it. She redid her backyard to have a tropical theme and it was amazing what she did with a fairly small backyard to make it as if you were on vacation! Her ferntree and I can't remember the name you called it at the beginning of your video is beautiful. I was just wondering what temperature is it can go down to while it's wrapped up in burlap there has to be a low temperature it can go below

[@chichifierce4480]

they brought the Peruvian fern from the amazon river basin ! wow wonder how they do it

[@emkn1479]

Ooo! Could you give more fig advice? I have two White Marseilles plants in pots. I’m in zone 6, PA.

[@vesgardens]

What is that green and brown bumpy looking plant @ 7:26?

[@Co-lq2cy]

If I had worked there I would be fired for staring at the workplace ALL-DAY-LONG LOL😆

[@mysteriousgirl4438]

Its weird hearing people from overs seas treating tree ferns as subtropical because here in Australia where they are from we see them as a cold loving plants because they grow way up in the mountains right up to the snow line and I’ve seem covered in snow and they survive fine.

[@hamodsq272]

I was like hmmm... when he said no chemical... interesting

[@LNVBOYKOFAMILY]

He kind of started saying floor by floor from what regions the plants are from, but never finished. So what do they have on 3rd and 4th floor? thank you.

[@baikia777]

7:23 the plant on the left side of the Alocasia(?). Please tell me that's not an Amorphophalus (corps flower) species. If it is, it will stink like a dead rat when it flowers lol It's impressive they also grow some tropical pitcher plants in there. Although, i don't see many pitchers on them.

[@ongwehias7580]

how do places like this prevent disease introduction? and if its introduced, how do they cope with it?

[@ongwehias7580]

like EB, phytophthora, bacrerial spot, all super common in that region, like mine, and we see it on many of the species cultivated here, like the anthuriums on his green wall. how do they keep people from bringing it in on their hands and shoes? im amazed it works so well and need to knooooowwww!

[@abel8047]

Hey its really stunning.. i would like to work with you. Am also a lover of plants from India. Is there any opportunity to get a job there.

[@buff25]

I'm confused... This is a pretend greenhouse made of UV blocking glass, that needs to be entirely lit from inside with grow lights, and it's an office space? And they keep all the "backup" plants in a real greenhouse somewhere else? I don't understand...

[@falcosparverius1]

It's a sterile recreation of nature, a few small reptiles, amphibians or birds to help control pests would make the space much more interesting.

[@jakeryker546]

and poop everywhere!

[@triciaroy]

I want to work there!

[@nancyfahey7518]

Who takes care of Kippy while you're gone? Or do you take her with you?

[@summerrayneoakes]

Kippee unfortunately passed on Nov 3 from an acute bacterial infection if you missed the posts, videos or newsletter... I miss her ... I just edited another video of her, one of the last videos we captured of her before she passed.

[@StanTheObserver-lo8rx]

One small change too? Don't make the vertical walls of plants so flat...make them natural and undulate. Just me.

[@colin1891]

I thought they were called Amazon spheres because there are amazonian plants Not because Amazon the company built it

[@baikia777]

That place is humid, wet and plenty of organic matter, a perfect place for roaches breeding ground. What kind of beneficial creature will they release when that happen? Frogs and toads? Or spiders maybe? I intentionally released huntsman spider at my house and they've been fantastic in controlling roaches population. But that's quite scary for most people lol.

[@wimbletone]

Can he be my husband, we can be the gay houseplant couple? Imagine the glass greenhouse that he can build me

[@bryanlagan8209]

I dont think this is a tour video