Fall in the Garden

9/24/13

Yoshino cherry tree

    

     Although the garden is still full of summer blooming flowers, fall has definitely arrived with its colder temperatures.  After a relatively cooler-than-normal summer, this area has had cool temps since September 1st.  It was 42 degrees here last night, and we turned the heat on a few days ago since it has been in the 40's at night for a week.  The Yoshino cherry trees in the front yard started dropping their leaves around September 1st. They are beginning to look a little bare.

     My fall flowers started blooming at the end of August and are doing well.  Here are a few photos of them.     

hardy begonias

Japanese anemones

I planted some mums in my patio pots

New Guinea impatiens are still going strong

purple alyssum seems to like the cooler weather

the late-planted cosmos started blooming three weeks ago

in the side yard garden the goldenrod just bloomed

the oriental fountain grass Karley Rose is at its fullest bloom

the zinnias are doing well

     I am reluctant to let go of summer.  I am missing the light of the long summer days.  But fall here is usually dry and sunny, and we have had many beautifully sunny days.  But come winter I may need to go to Florida.

The Outdoor Gardens at Longwood

9/8/13

one of many outdoor gardens

     Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, the site of the former home of the du Ponts, has 1,077 acres of outdoor gardens.  Not only are there many different gardens, but also lakes, waterfalls and magnificent fountains.  I took the following photos on my recent visit there.

hardy begonias and coleus

     This path leads to the flower garden walk.  The flower garden walk has several gardens each displaying flowers of one color.

the red garden

the orange garden

the yellow garden

    

There are many small, enclosed gardens.

one of the lakes in the gardens

The topiary garden figures are all clipped evergreens.

the water lily pool

There are several experimental/trial gardens.

Main Fountain garden

     Several water gardens dot the landscape.  The Main Fountain Garden shoots 10,000 gallons of water a minute, and nighttime shows illuminate the water in every imaginable color.

Italian Water Garden

     The Italian Water Garden was my favorite.  It is based on the Villa Gambria near Florence, Italy.

student exhibition gardens

     Longwood has great influence on American horticulture through its educational programs.  For the past thirty years, as many as 5,000 students have attended classes for amateur and professional gardeners and nurserymen.  In addition, since 1958, students from all over the world have participated in one or more of the seven intensive programs from internships to a two-year professional gardener training program to a master's degree in public horticulture administration.

Longwood Gardens - The Conservatory

9/2/13

main conservatory entrance 

     I recently visited Longwood Gardens in  Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.  It is the former home of Pierre du Pont, great-grandson of E. I. du Pont, who founded the E. I. du Pont de Nemours Company.  There are 1,077 acres of outdoor gardens, and a 4.5-acre conservatory.

     In this post I would like to share some photos of the plants growing in the conservatory.  Longwood's conservatory is one of the world's great greenhouse structures.  It has 20 indoor gardens and 5,500 types of plants.  In addition to the original, main conservatory area, there is an east conservatory complex and a west conservatory complex.

coleus

     The main conservatory was originally used for growing citrus fruits.  Today it features an ever-changing display of flowers and foliage that change with the seasons.  There were many plantings of coleus, creeping fig, and hibiscus when I was there.

acacia walk

      The acacia walk leads into the west conservatory.  The west conservatory houses a desert and dry landscape area, an orchid house, a rose house, a banana room, a tropical garden, a palm house, a fern passage and a bonsai area.

desert landscape

orchid room

banana room

tropical garden

 
     The east conservatory has permanent plantings of Mediterranean and sub-tropical flora, a garden walk that contains plants for all seasons, a ballroom with a pipe organ, a camellia room, and a green wall area of ferns.

garden walk

fountain and pool on garden walk

green wall of ferns

     Also in the conservatory is a research and production area.  The production area produces plants year round under all conditions.  The research team finds, obtains and conducts plant trials of 500 to 1,000 new plants each year, and shares plants and research nationally and internationally through distributions, publications, presentations, and workshops.  My impression when I left the conservatory besides its stunning surprises and beauty, was that it seemed a lot larger than 4.5 acres.