Longwood Gardens 2017 Part 2

"Best Bett" orange dahlias with very dark foliage.

"Mystic Illusion- Knockout" dahlia

From left: orange Canna, yellow Rudbeckia, yellow Canna, orange French marigolds,

all-gold Black-Eyed Susans, tree of Yellow Alamanda, yellow Zinnias,

orange and yellow dahlias.

Main Garden Walk through the Red, Orange, and Yellow sections.

Yellow flowers.

All-gold Black-Eyed Susans

Yellow Cannas, All-Gold Black-Eyed Susans, tree of Yellow Alamanda,
and yellow Zinnias.

Finally at the East End of the Garden Walk, there is the White Section - white begonias and

caladium ("Aaron"),  Panicle Hydrfangeas.

White Begonias, Caladium, Reeds, Dahlias, and Angelonia

White and Yellow Gardens

White and yellow Gardens seen through archway leading into Peirce's Woods.

White Pentas, Aaron Caladium, and Datura.

White Asian Lily

White Datura  / Angels' Trumpet

White Dahlias

White Begonias

White and Yellow Gardens through Arch

Then we walk for ten minutes through Peirce's Woods, past the Classical Temple,

down to the Italian Water Gardens.

Italian Water Gardens.  Pierre DuPont traveled frequently to Italy and came to love the

gardens and fountains.  He decided he wanted one for himself.  So this beautiful water

garden was created with 600 jets of water playing in various ways all day.

Italian Water Garden from ground level.

A prominent guest at the Italian Water Garden.

There are paths and benches along either side, so you can sit and rest and enjoy

the sight and sounds of the fountains.

From the path on the opposite side.

But the Major Show Fountain is on the other side of the gardens and has just been completely

redone.  It is now the largest show fountain in the world.  It has 1700 jets of water, which

can shoot 175 feet high.  It pumps 30,000 gallons of water per minute.  Beneath this

structure is a reservoir containing 338,000 gallons of water; it is all recycled.  There are

shows every two hours during the day and colored light shows at night.

This is one moment of the show.  Notice the fountains down below in the sunken garden

as well as the major fountains on top of the pump house.  Each show lasts 12 minutes; all are

computerized.  They play music during the shows - the best was 12 minutes of

Vivaldi with fountains doing all sorts of things.   But Edith Piaf and Louis Armstrong

were also very nice.

The East Conservatory.  Pierre DuPont began building greenhouses and conservatories

when he bought the property in 1906.  This was the first; then the Main South; then the North; 

and he kept on going, adding one to another.

Interior of East Conservatory.

Main Conservatory with Red Cannas and Purple Curcumas.

Side Aisle in Main Conservatory with Chenille trees.  Usually Chenille plants are

low bushes, but here they are trees.

Close-up of Pink Chenille Tree.

New variety of dark purple celosia.  When I was a kid, there was only red celosia

and pink celosia; not it comes in every color and size.

Looking into center of Main Conservatory.  Spiky leaves on left are giant Begonias,

then lavender Periwinkle, white Curcuma, lavender Curcuma, and Red Cannas.

Florida Sweetheart Caladium

Looking into center of Main Conservatory; pink Cannas, lavender Curcumas
and Florida Sweetheart Caladium below.

Mrs. Pierre Dupont Pink Cannas.

Giant begonias and colorful coleus

Yellow and orange Kalanchoe decorated pots around the conservatory.

Brailian Plume / Justicia

Interior of Main Conservatory - Croton, Orange Crossandra, Yellow Kalanchoe,
Red Cannas, and Orange Guzmania.

Great place to visit.
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