In addition to all of the outdoor gardens, Longwood also has a conservatory, which
actually consists of three large glass-walled showrooms and sixteen greenhouses open
to the public. There are many other working greenhouses. This was all created by
Pierre Dupont in the 1930s. The flowers are changed continuously all year long; as
soon as a flower begins to wilt, it is taken out and replaced by other fresh blooming
flowers from the greenhouses.
Pink "Stock" flowers. These are old garden stand-bys, but with new varieties
and colors.
"Katz Ruby Stock" is a vibrant new color I have never seen before.
"Royal Sunset" Asiatic Lily is a beautiful new variety. These are much larger than the
daylilies in our home gardens.
"Sunny Bonaire" Asiatic Lily is a large and very fragrant flower.
"Sunny Bonaire" Asiatic Lily
"Icelandic Poppies" have become very popular recently. These are the "Orange
Champagne Bubbles." The flowers float atop 14" wire-thin stems.
"Champagne Bubble Icelandic Poppies"
"Dalmatian Peach Foxglove" Foxglove comes in many color and is very useful in gardens
because of its height ( 5 feet or so). They make excellent backdrops for gardens.
This is an "anthurium;" they used to exist only in pink or white. Now they exist in almost
every color and arew often used for borders. They are also known as "Flamingo Flowers."
This variety is known as "Utah." A number of recent varieties are named after states and cities.
One of the side aisles of the main showroom. The "trees" are Marguerite daisy plants
which have been carefully trained so that a single daisy stem is the "trunk" of the tree,
and all the flowers are open on top. Below them are another variety of anthurium,
"Dakota," in purple, liver, and dark red.
These pale pink anuthuriums are called "Alabama Pinks."
"Dakota," the darkest reds of the anthuriums.
Huge baskets of "Big Leafed Hydrangea" in white hung from the ceiling.
Beautiful clusters of pink "Big Leafed Hydrangeas" were along a wall.
Pots of dark blue "Big Leafed Hudrangeas" lined a hallway.
"African Daisies" were in the Mediterranean Greenhouse.
"Orange Parfait" is one of the many hibiscus blooming in the Rose and Hibiscus Greenhouse.
"Candy Striper" is a very large Chinese hibiscus.
"Fifth Dimension" is a popular exotic hybrid hibiscus. A number of people have a hobby
of raising hibiscus and crossing varieties to see what new colors can be achieved.
A striking new variety will be sold to a nursery, which will use grafting rather than
seeding to duplicate the new variety. The plants are not consistent in seeding and often
revert to the original rather than propagating the new.
"Tahitian Sunset" exotic hybrid hibiscus.
The central space in the main exhibit hall looking into the North Room.
Pink "Gerbera Daisies" grow in the Mediterranean Greenhouse.
Soft pink and lavender "Gerbera Daisies." Gerbera daisies have usually been bright
and bold in the past; now softer, more delicate colors are being produced.
Longwood currently has 4,000 varieties of orchids and is looking to gradually increase to
10,000. Several greenhouses are devoted to raising them. For the public, there are two
greenhouse rooms always filled with blooming orchids. Each morning, a worked
brings several new blooming plants to replace any that are beginning to wilt.
These are Phalaenopsis Orchids.
There is always a volunteer from the AOS (American Orchid Society) on hand in the
orchid display to answer questions or make suggestions if you wish to raise orchids.
They also sell many orchid plants during special sales to raise money.
This is a very rare Green Fringed Orchid.
A pair of "Phalaenopsis Orchids."
Some "Cattleya" orchids.
"Canterbury Bells" make wonderful backdrops and covered with bell-shaped flowers.
"Canterbury Bells" They come in blue, pink, white. and lavender.
"Gardenia," member of the jasmine family.
Looking into the North Display Room. Baskets of flowers hang from the ceiling.
"Bloomingdale's Bicolor Orange Persian Buttercups." Or "Ranunculus"
Until now, these have always been big balls of a solid color - pink, yellow, orange.
But now they have developed varieties with two colors.
"Bloomingdale's Orange Bi-color Persian Buttercups / Ranunculus."
The delicate shades of orange and peach are very beautiful, and they were used as border
flowers for other displays.
"Painted Tongue / Salpiglossis" were used in a number of urns.
"Cream and Ochre Salpiglossis"
"Lavender, Red, and Yellow Salpiglossis"
"Sangria" Arthuriums, really intense red and also quite small, in comparison
to other anthurium. These are about three inches long and waxlike.
A yellow Bird of Paradise in the Mediterranean Greenhouse.
Pale lemon "Clivia / African Lily" in the East Greenhouse.
"Guzmania" in the Main Showroom.
The North Showroom with hanging baskets, reflective pool, and urns of
Salpiglossis on either side.
Well. That's Longwood in April. It will be completely different in June and in
September and in November (chrysanthemum festival). It is well worth a visit.
__
__
