It has been determined some time before my time off the job that we'd spend a day going to Longwood Gardens. Here and the Hershey Botanical Gardens are where we visit at least once a year if not more. Usually Longwood just for relaxation and to lower the blood pressure while Hershey is for a photo shoot of their roses. That's not to say I don't take photographs of my own roses, it's just that they have about 2000 more varieties than I do.
A formal secret garden on the far east end of the estate.
A formal secret garden on the far east end of the estate. I usually like to go to Longwood on a Tuesday. It has always been that Tuesdays is discount day an any time to get a few dollars off the regular price is a good thing. This year, I wasn't sure about going this vacation. The desire was there, but if the weather was good, working in my own garden takes top priority this time of year. However, this time the time off started out with some really nasty weather and rain, rain, rain. It was beginning to look like this weather would last the entire week. I was feeling disappointed.
A secret path that leads across the front of the east side of the conservatory, hidden by tall pines and other trees. The quiet walk is lined with Mountain Azalea and Rhododendron. It ends at the entrance of the Secret Garden.Tuesday morning, the clouds began to break up, though it was still quite overcast. The temperatures started to climb and it was beginning to look like a wonderful day. I thought it would be nice just to stay home and enjoy my own garden, but it was just to wet to play in the dirt. So the day was set. Off to Longwood we would go.
To the west side of the secret path, it ends with a circle of Mountain Azalea and Rhododendron. Still in front of the lower level of the conservatory and surrounded by large trees. It's a beautiful place to sit in the grass and just chill.
There is a small area, near the perennial garden that is set aside for vines and climbing shrubs. This is one climbing shrub that really caught my eye. Being into everything natural for the East Coast of the US, I had to check out this American Wisteria. This one is called Longwood (I'm sure the variety was developed by the Longwood masters) and is about the same age as my Amethyst Falls. Personally, I didn't see much difference in the two varieties, but until the blooms actually open I can't be sure. Mine is a lovely sky blue with a white tongue and an orange dot in each individual flower. They are small flowers and not as fragrant as the Asian varieties. The plant itself isn't as aggressive and overbearing as the Asian varieties and it blooms from it's first year instead of waiting 6 to 10 years to mature. My plant is 3 years old now and it covers a 12 foot arbor, offering repeat blooms every summer as well as privacy from the neighbors. When folks from my rose club come to visit, they hover over it as much as the roses.
The topiary garden is very near the entrance to Longwood Gardens. This is a very unique garden that is fronted by the formal rose garden. It's proper that both these gardens be kept together as they both seem to require a lot of work. The topiary garden is very interesting and very formal, but I can't afford an army of gardeners to keep it looking like this one. It's fun to walk through and see all the different shapes and animals they have these yews trained into.
This is the bridal path. It is one of the gardens several bridal areas and one of two gorgeous gazebos. Walk though the gazebo here and you walk down a grass path edged with tree rose of sharron and a lovely bluebeard called...you guessed it...Longwood. The bluebeard is fairly easy to get anymore. I have one (had two but one died when transplanted), but it's variety is First Light. Personally, I like my variety a little better. The flowers of Longwood is a nice sky blue but First Light is a deep, more royal blue color which in my opinion stands out just a little better. The bluebeard isn't in bloom yet but will be by mid June to early July. It is an outstanding woody perennial that attracts butterflies and bees by the groves.
This is absolutely one of my favorite photographed areas of Longwood Gardens. This is the Chimes tower and it reminds me of the nursery rhyme Rapunzel. Or maybe a medieval European tower. Your imagination is the limit here. The tower is an outstanding garden spot with a number of observation areas shown below. Surrounded by an overgrown waterfall and pond, the tower itself is open part way up but is blocked off at the chimes. It chimes every hour and believe me, you don't want to be inside when they ring.
This is one of the observation spots overlooking the water fall and woods around the Chimes Tower.
This is another observation spot that overlooks a path around the Chimes tower that takes you to the Eye of the Fountains. This is the spot where the pumps are housed to make the fountains in the estate work. There are fountains all over the estate as well as inside the conservatory and lily pond areas. I'm sure there are supplemental pumps at each of the fountains, but the eye is where the water is pressured.
There will be more in another post.
To the west side of the secret path, it ends with a circle of Mountain Azalea and Rhododendron. Still in front of the lower level of the conservatory and surrounded by large trees. It's a beautiful place to sit in the grass and just chill.
There is a small area, near the perennial garden that is set aside for vines and climbing shrubs. This is one climbing shrub that really caught my eye. Being into everything natural for the East Coast of the US, I had to check out this American Wisteria. This one is called Longwood (I'm sure the variety was developed by the Longwood masters) and is about the same age as my Amethyst Falls. Personally, I didn't see much difference in the two varieties, but until the blooms actually open I can't be sure. Mine is a lovely sky blue with a white tongue and an orange dot in each individual flower. They are small flowers and not as fragrant as the Asian varieties. The plant itself isn't as aggressive and overbearing as the Asian varieties and it blooms from it's first year instead of waiting 6 to 10 years to mature. My plant is 3 years old now and it covers a 12 foot arbor, offering repeat blooms every summer as well as privacy from the neighbors. When folks from my rose club come to visit, they hover over it as much as the roses.
The topiary garden is very near the entrance to Longwood Gardens. This is a very unique garden that is fronted by the formal rose garden. It's proper that both these gardens be kept together as they both seem to require a lot of work. The topiary garden is very interesting and very formal, but I can't afford an army of gardeners to keep it looking like this one. It's fun to walk through and see all the different shapes and animals they have these yews trained into.
This is the bridal path. It is one of the gardens several bridal areas and one of two gorgeous gazebos. Walk though the gazebo here and you walk down a grass path edged with tree rose of sharron and a lovely bluebeard called...you guessed it...Longwood. The bluebeard is fairly easy to get anymore. I have one (had two but one died when transplanted), but it's variety is First Light. Personally, I like my variety a little better. The flowers of Longwood is a nice sky blue but First Light is a deep, more royal blue color which in my opinion stands out just a little better. The bluebeard isn't in bloom yet but will be by mid June to early July. It is an outstanding woody perennial that attracts butterflies and bees by the groves.
This is absolutely one of my favorite photographed areas of Longwood Gardens. This is the Chimes tower and it reminds me of the nursery rhyme Rapunzel. Or maybe a medieval European tower. Your imagination is the limit here. The tower is an outstanding garden spot with a number of observation areas shown below. Surrounded by an overgrown waterfall and pond, the tower itself is open part way up but is blocked off at the chimes. It chimes every hour and believe me, you don't want to be inside when they ring.
This is one of the observation spots overlooking the water fall and woods around the Chimes Tower.
This is another observation spot that overlooks a path around the Chimes tower that takes you to the Eye of the Fountains. This is the spot where the pumps are housed to make the fountains in the estate work. There are fountains all over the estate as well as inside the conservatory and lily pond areas. I'm sure there are supplemental pumps at each of the fountains, but the eye is where the water is pressured.There will be more in another post.
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