Sally, Ruby and Chris planning where to go next.....
longwood trip
This "fern" was just amazing--everything just draping down so gracefully.
This was in one of the walk-throughs where all the giant Staghorn Ferns were hanging from the ceiling...
Speaking of Staghorns----here's a doozy!!!!
OMG those orchids, there are no words to speak!
Gita, your Orchid room pictures came out nice. Seems we all liked pretty much the same things but looked through the eye of the camera differently.
Waiting for more pictures everyone.
Just a few more before I go off to work.
Another main Fountain shot.
Caught a picture of some Mennonite girls enjoying Longwood
Can't remember if this was posted , but a view of the lower part of the Main Fountain
This message was edited May 20, 2008 12:06 PM
Oh, the fountains remind me of Bellagios last Christmas. Spectacular photos.
Gita, love the pics of the orchid walls.
Terrific pictures everyone! Thank you for sharing them!!
Ladygardener (Chris): I didn't know the answer to your question about the Orchids, so I googled it and here is the answer I found. "Some have flat, typically broad, ovoid leaves (strap-leaves), while others have cylindrical (terete) fleshy leaves and are adapted to dry periods." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanda
Staarz: No one came up and asked me about my DG tee shirt, but I hope they made a mental note of it. I have one of the original tee shirts when they only came in grey and they did not indicate that Daves Garden is an Internet website. I hope that the tee shirts that are now available to purchase at DG give an Internet address. I liked Ladygardener's (Chris) DG tee shirt which was in pink and sported her DG moniker (on-line name), plus her real name too, which is an added plus in my opinion.
This message was edited May 20, 2008 9:54 PM
Gita made a friend- he looks suitably Northern European to me- but what do I know? I'm not 'into' dragons but he is cute.
Haighr, you said it......my vocabulary is too limited to express my pleasure with all of the pictures here. You folks will have a to wait a bit longer for me to try posting the pictures that I have taken. I haven't even looked at them myself yet. Busy, busy, busy.
Thank you to everyone who has shown theirs so far. I have to get back up to Longwood ASAP in order to see the things that I missed by leaving early.
Never in a million years did I think that I would ever be so enthralled by flower gardening. I am walking a few feet off the ground just thinking of the beauty of what we all enjoyed on Saturday.
Ruby
me too Ruby :)
I was able to get the id (thanks DGers in the plant ID forum) of the flower I loved under the mahonia shrub in the veggie garden area with the pergolas and I think it is:
geranium macorrhizum 'Spessart'. I just ordered one and I'm thrilled! Now all we need is a mahonia :)
I wished it wasn't so far away form me, would be nice to go back and take in more detail.
I still have a few more pictures towards the end of the tour that I didn't post but they may be a repeat of the bell tower picture already posted.
I don't mind seeing the bell tower from your perspective, unless that was a pre-decided no no.
wind...
Mahonia has another name---can't think of it right now, but it had "holly" in it.....OH! It may be "Grape Holly"!!!!
Might help you find it if you go shopping.
Gita
Gita's gotit on the Grape holly
I did ask permission to write about this trip and still plan to, just overextended at the moment. When I get it going, I'll put paragraphs on a thread here in Mid A so you can preview.
I'm looking forward to your article on Longwood Gardens, Sally. You're more than welcome to use some of my pictures if you want to.
Sally, My pictures are also available to you if you want them. Can't wait to read your article.
Candee, You asked for it, ha ha
Looking up at the tower, reminds me of Rapunzel
The waterfall is to the left as you look at the tower.
The flower bed on top of the wall that frames the pool at the bell tower.
View from the bridge that leads to the bell tower.
Another view of the waterfall
Another view of plantings around the bell tower pool.
Walking up the path to the "eye of water"
The water fall looking through the evergreens.
The path winds up behind the tower, you can see part of the Main Fountain and beyond that the conservatory.
We reached the "Eye of Water" it pours out of the center and back down the water fall, the circle of water is complete and ever flowing.
Last picture.
We all admired this beautiful Japanese Maple, I don't think the picture does it justice. It was next to the shelter for the Eye of Water. You can see the water starting it journey back down the hill.
Chris: I'm delighted that you were able to capture pictures of the "Eye of Water" and our walk to the "Eye". My camera's battery had given out by that point, but I'm glad your camera still had enough "juice" to take those lovely pictures.
Shirley, I had 81 pictures a few were blurry or repeats close to pictures others posted. I put new batteries in that morning. It seem that this Cannon Powershot A720 uses less power, I get lots of shots with it.
I had a great time with everyone, I hope we can do it again in a few years.
Oh Chris, those are wonderful. You got some great photos of that "eye of water" and the shot through the trees looks as if you are in the midst of nowhere jungle and stumbled upon that view. The bridge over the water really captured my eye and I will have to find that spot when we do go up there.
I think we are going for the 4th. of July, hoping it is not too crowded as they do have fireworks there at the gardens. Should be quite the adventure and now thanks to all of you I'll know what to look for.
Keep posting, I am beginning to feel as if I am already there.
Thanks,
Candee
More wonderful pics. Thanks for sharing. Chris, you are such a sweetie. You put in lots of time and energy organizing this get together and we all appreciate it.
When things slow down around here, I will post the pictures that I took. It is almost the weekend, have a good one all.
Ruby
Oh, I'm enjoying the photos & descriptions on this thread!
My in-laws are taking a bus tour of the area in early June, and they just sent us their itinerary... the tour stops for 2 1/2, maybe 3 hours in Longwood Gardens. I'm so disappointed on their behalf -- they'll hardly be able to do it justice in that amount of time, and they love gardens!
Jill,
Tell your in-laws to just take in everything IN and AROUND the Conservatory!
All the rest is walking around the Grounds--but the Conservatory and all the side-rooms is to die for! Then-if they happen to be there when the Water Fountain show starts--it would be the icing on the cake.
Gita
Sounds like good advice, Gita, thanks!
Chris: Believe it or not I did have my battery completely charged up, but I took so many pictures that it finally gave out after 8 hrs.
Candee: The fireworks display at Longwood Gardens will be fantastic, plus I'm sure they will have the symphony perform the "1812 Overture" as the sound of cannons & fireworks explode into a spectacular display of colors & sounds. Any major holiday weekend will be very congested with visitors, but don't forget that the gardens have so many acres to see that the crowds will be spread out, except for the fireworks, which I'm sure will be in the Main Water Gardens opposite the Conservatory.
Jill: Your in-laws will get a "taste" of Longwood Gardens and will hopefully be planning future trips there again. Gita's advice regarding concentrating on the Conservatory & Main Water Gardens is right on!
Wind,
Great pics, especially the Pawlownias, makes me miss living in PA! In a small group the Paulownia trees are beautiful but further down route 1 south from Longwood, there is a large grove of them and when they are in bloom, it is spectacular!
It always made my long commute from Philly endurable because you could see them from at least a mile away!
bump- I really am trying to write- perusing pictures and thinking about what to write with them.