#2 - Longwood Gardens

Longwood Gardens is 1,077 acres with 20 indoor and 20 outdoor gardens.  Even more amazing is that they change some of their flower gardens in conjunction with the changing seasons. 
Pierre Dupont used his fortune to purchase the wooded lot because he didn't want the trees to be cut down and the property developed.  He wanted to maintain the beautiful landscape.  With his love of horticulture and beautiful landscape, he built the gardens as they are today. 

Here is Eliza and I by the waterfall in the West outdoor garden. 

 

This is the chimes tower.  It is 61 feet tall and houses a 62-bell Carillon.  The upper portion and carillon are open after scheduled bell concerts.  It's too bad we weren't there for the bell concert, it looked pretty neat according to the video.  

 I've never seen so many varieties of roses than I did here.  My own little rose enjoying the sunny day. 

 Here I am doing a leprechaun leap (hard to see, but it's right in the middle of the photo).  I got some inspiration for my own flower garden here, but know that I would never be able to keep it up to the same standard as these gardens. 

 Eliza next to my favorite flower - petunias. 

 I also totally love these elephant ear plants.  If I knew how to take care of them, I would have some in my garden. 

From here, we went to the outdoor Children's garden.  Eliza got a turn to be the queen bee and play a large xylophone. 

We marched past the fountains.  It's too bad we didn't attend on a day they do the fountain and light show.  By the looks of how many lights they have, it would have been absolutely amazing.

Then, it was on to the conservatory.  It had 20 gardens and 5,500 different plants.  I seriously didn't know there were that many different kinds of plants - they were all different from what we had already seen.  The west conservatory held the following gardens: Acacia, bananas, orchid house, tropical terrace, rose house, cascade garden, fern passage, insect catching plants, estate fruit house, bonsai, palm house, Mediterranean garden, and a waterlily display. 

 

The main conservatory held the Orangery and the exhibition hall (pictured above). 

 

I am just amazed at how pretty everything was.  In a way, it makes me want to study up a bit on horticulture.  I love plants and wish I knew more about them.  Yes, we did change Eliza's clothes due to an unexpected diaper leak.  (Kind of wish I brought myself a change of clothes). 

We spent quite a bit of time at the indoor children's garden in the East Conservatory.  How could we not when Eliza was having this much fun. 

She loved these little water spouts. 

 She would stick her finger in the hole, then squeal with delight when she removed her finger and the water squirted her straight in the face.  This other little girl is Erin.  I used to babysit her three times a week before they moved to Maryland.  It was fun getting together with them again. 

                   Before leaving the conservatory, we stopped to see these gigantic lily pads.

 I really didn't know there were so many varieties of lily pads.  There were over 100 kinds of day and night blooming waterlilys. 

After a lunch break at the picnicking grounds, we headed to the east gardens.  These gardens were mostly full of woodsy/foresty things with amazing flower displays throughout.  I just loved the peaceful, beautiful scenery. 

 I mean, look at those waterfalls. 

 A beautiful lake

 And the square garden.

 

By this time of the afternoon, Eliza completely conked out in the stroller.  We saw a water fountain show that was coordinated to some of John Phillip Sousa's songs.  (no pictures). 

 

 

Christie and I on a bench outside of Dupont's house.

 



We wish we could have stayed longer, but we were all completely exhausted from walking all day, and I had to get back to teach piano lessons.  Before we left, we had to snap a picture of Bruce and Todd in front of these amazing sculpted bushes.  Seriously, if I had the talent of sculpting bushes that way, my yard would be full of them. 

It was a beautiful way to spend the afternoon.  I definitely want to go back, especially during a different time of the year.