Image of main entrance to Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh PA. Phipps Conservatory and botanical gardens was founded in 1893 by real estate and steel magnate Henry Phipps, and gifted to the city. The buildings and grounds house spectacular gardens that are constantly changing for the seasons. It holds a Platinum LEEDS rating as one of the greenest buildings in the world, with the Center For Sustainable Landscapes given a "Living Building" designation.