Behind-the-scenes tour at Longwood Gardens plant-production facility

1 year ago 275
October 09, 2023

The Philadelphia Area Fling successful September officially started with a behind-the-scenes circuit astatine Longwood Gardens. I didn’t cognize what to expect and was astonished to larn astir an service of plant-production unit moving astatine Longwood to turn horticultural displays that wow each year, but particularly during large events similar the garden’s Chrysanthemum Festival.

We were organized into groups of 10 and led done Longwood’s state-of-the-art greenhouses to conscionable unit members, who shared however they make chrysanthemum bonsai…

…and chrysanthemum topiary…

….and gigantic chrysanthemum cascades that volition beryllium suspended from the conservatory’s ceiling.

Pink-flowering spirals too

We saw however plants being grown into hanging spheres are moved on a suspended way to let airy to scope each sides, and to debar shading plants being grown below. Perfection is the aim!

My radical taking it each in

Outside, we learned astir Longwood’s bonsai collection.

And we learned astir waterlilies from a unit subordinate successful waders who utilized the coffee-table-sized pads of Victoria amazonica arsenic floating trays.

A sampling of tropical waterlily flowers

The fascinating, veined operation of an amazonica lilypad

And spine-protected flowerbuds

After the tour, we were seated successful an auditorium to ticker a video astir Longwood, a bequest of Pierre S. du Pont.

Longwood generously gave each attendee a transcript of recently published Du Pont Gardens of the Brandywine Valley. It features 5 Du Pont property gardens: Longwood, Hagley, Nemours, Mt. Cuba Center, and Winterthur. I look guardant to speechmaking it!

That evening, Longwood treated america to a German-style meal successful the Beer Garden, implicit with unrecorded music. Then we were led to 100 seats acceptable speech conscionable for america astatine Longwood’s illuminated fountain show. Although I’d visited Longwood doubly before, this was the archetypal clip I’d caught the large fountain show. On this night, the fountains danced to the euphony from Romeo and Juliet. It was a colorful, graceful, extravaganza of spouting plumes and propelled streamers of h2o that changed with the music.

What a mode to footwear disconnected the Philly Fling! My acknowledgment to organizer Karl Gercens, conservatory manager astatine Longwood, and to each the Longwood unit for welcoming our radical and putting connected specified a terrific amusement for us.

Up next: The found-art wit and colour of backstage plot Create a Scene. For a look backmost astatine flamboyant angiosperm borders and containers astatine Longwood Gardens, click here.

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Come larn astir plot plan from the experts astatine Garden Spark! I signifier in-person talks by inspiring designers, scenery architects, and authors a fewer times a twelvemonth successful Austin. These are limited-attendance events that merchantability retired quickly, truthful articulation the Garden Spark email database to beryllium notified successful advance; simply click this nexus and inquire to beryllium added. The Season 7 lineup tin beryllium recovered here.

Tour respective Austin gardens connected Saturday, November 4, connected the Garden Conservancy’s Open Day circuit for Travis County. Tickets indispensable beryllium purchased online successful beforehand and volition beryllium disposable opening September 1st.

All worldly © 2023 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

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